Life Happened
by Princess Lollipop
Summary: Chloe keeps mysteriously disappearing and reappearing, Clark moves on, Chloe becomes a mother, and over the years dreams change as life takes hold.
1. 1

"Chloe?"  
  
She looked up at him with pain-stricken eyes. The kind of eyes that haunt a person's soul for eternity. The kind of eyes that are filled with unshed tears and a distance that can never be reached.  
  
"Chloe, what's wrong? Please tell me," Clark begged, his voice shaking with an emotion that he couldn't quite place.  
  
"It's time Clark."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For me to leave you now. I'm sorry." With that, she walked away. Into the shadows and gone for good.  
  
"Chloe, don't leave me!"  
  
She slowly turned and whispered her final good-bye. Then, she was disappeared.  
  
"No!" he screamed into the empty air. Suddenly, Clark was back inside his room. What had happened? Why did he have to dream of those things? Then it all came crashing back to him like a tidal wave.  
  
Last night, Chloe Sullivan had walked out of his life and moved away.  
  
*****  
  
Okay, please tell me what you think. I don't particularly know what's going to happen but I have a pretty good idea. 


	2. 2

A/N: Thanks for reviewing. I hope you like the next part to this story. And before I go any further, I have to inform you that this story is totally AU and is from the very deep crevices of my mind. (It's scary there. I should know.)  
  
^~^~^~^  
  
CHAPTER TWO  
  
Last night, Chloe Sullivan had walked out of his life and moved away. She didn't even tell him where exactly it was that she was going. She had been discreet. The only thing that he had been informed of was that it wasn't Metropolis, but it was another city not unlike Metropolis.  
  
In fact, she didn't even tell him about the move until her dad and her belongings were in a moving truck.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Clark saw the framed photos on top of his dresser. One was of his family, one of him and Lex, one of him, Lana, and Pete, and finally, the one of Chloe. Not wanting to see the cheerful smile of a reminder of the friendship that had just disintegrated the night before, Clark angrily swiped everything off the dresser and onto the floor with his bare arms. The glass broke and the frames came apart with the sudden impact. Not yet calm, Clark took out a pile of articles that Chloe had written and tore them into tattered ruins. No, no more reminders. At least none that he could think of as of yet.  
  
The anger gradually receded until it was no more and Clark was left collapsed on the floor beside his bed. Sobs racked his body and rendered him helpless.  
  
So many questions. Why did Chloe move? How come she didn't tell him why? Or where? All unanswered. Maybe unanswered forever. 


	3. 3

CHAPTER THREE  
  
The rest of that week, Clark moved around like a programmed robot. He did everything mechanically, as if he had no life in him anymore. Pete tried to cheer him up, as did Lana, but nothing seemed to work.  
  
Night after night, he would call Mr. Sullivan and ask where Chloe was. He would then get a muttered apology and the dial tone in return.  
  
This happened for a month and then Clark finally began to realize something. Chloe was never going to come back, her dad was never going to give any information, and it was time for him to live again. No matter how hard it would be for him.  
  
Things were going to change. No more dreams of his best friend coming back to him when it was clear she didn't want to or couldn't. No more crushing on the type of girl that was unattainable. Things had to change and now was the time to make them.  
  
*****  
  
A/N: Sorry about the shortness of the chapters. They will be longer in the future. I just had to set the scene for why things are going to be the way they are in the upcoming chapters. I hope that you all like this story and are willing to review. I'll admit, I love getting reviews and the more the better. 


	4. 4

CHAPTER FOUR  
  
The summer after their senior year of high school. A couple of years after Chloe left..  
  
Clark was on his way to the Talon to meet Lana and Pete. It was the end of high school and they wanted to meet one last time before each went their separate way.  
  
Clark drove past the Sullivan home. He usually stopped to talk to Gabe every once in awhile since his daughter had left. Clark felt that it was the least he could do since he was once best friends with Chloe. They would discuss almost everything with one of the only topics they avoided being the location of Chloe.  
  
But as he drove past on this early Friday morning, he noticed an unusual car in the driveway that he had never seen before. Clark parked his truck by the curb across the street and got out. He jogged up the front door and knocked.  
  
He heard a loud crash, some profanities, and finally a yell for him to enter. There was a girl in the kitchen reaching for a pot on one of the top shelves of the cupboards. Clark rushed over to aid her.  
  
It was then that he got a good look at the stranger. She wasn't very tall, probably didn't even reach his shoulders completely. Her golden hair was up in a messy ponytail with a few short strands held away from her eyes with a pair of barrettes. She wore a pair of blue overall shorts over a forest green tank top and an old gray sweatshirt tied loosely around her waist. Her skin was lightly bronzed, as if she spent a few hours in the summer sun just recently. When she turned toward him, she gave him a wide smile that showed off her pearly whites.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"You're welcome. Where should I put this?" Clark said, holding out the pot.  
  
"Oh, in the sink would be great."  
  
Clark did as she said. "Do I know you?"  
  
"Yeah, it's me, Chloe. Do you think that my father just lets anyone into his house?"  
  
"Of course not, it's just that, well, you look different," he stammered, blushing a light red.  
  
"Thanks, I guess. Can't you give your old friend a hug?"  
  
Clark did just that. He pulled her into a tight embrace. He could smell vanilla mixed with a light scent of sweat that he guessed was from working and the heat combined. Finally, after a few moments, he had to let go.  
  
"Wow, well what are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm here to visit my dad and some old friends before heading back to my aunt's house in Boston for college."  
  
"Well, in that case, do you want to join me? I'm headed over to the Talon to meet with Lana and Pete."  
  
"Um, yeah, sure. Just let me get out of these clothes and into something just a little less smelly. I've been working all morning and I kind of stink."  
  
"I didn't notice," Clark mumbled. Chloe just smiled and bounded up the stairs and into her room.  
  
Clark grinned. It felt so good to have Chloe back in town, even if it was for a short time. He couldn't believe how much she had changed. Gone was the bubbly reporter that he had once known. In her place was a more sophisticated, more subdued Chloe. He was sure that she could probably banter with the best, but he wasn't so sure that she could investigate meteor theories like she used to.  
  
"Okay, I'm ready."  
  
Clark looked up to see Chloe coming down the stairs in a crimson v-neck tee that said, "I'll shut up if you stop looking at me" and showed an inch of her stomach and a pair of tight midnight blue denim jeans with studs going down the sides. Her hair was put back in a French braid and held with a blue band. A pair of white tennis shoes completed the ensemble.  
  
Clark just kept staring until Chloe said, "What?"  
  
"It's an interesting shirt."  
  
"Yeah, I know. My aunt went shopping with me when I first got Boston. She has a thing with clothing that have sayings on them. I have one or two more upstairs just like this one. You like?" Chloe explained, twirling a bit.  
  
"I guess. Let's go."  
  
They talked as the drove in Clark's truck the entire way to the Talon. Clark learned that she had been living in Boston for the last two years with her mom's sister, that she had met someone there and they'd been dating off and on for the last year and a half, and that she was no longer a journalist but was still aiming to be one in the future. When they pulled up, they were just talking about where they were going to go to school and what they were majoring in.  
  
"I'm still going to major in journalism. Just because I'm not a journalist now, doesn't mean I don't want to be one in the future," she said as she got out of the car.  
  
"I still have close to three months to decide what I want to do. Hey, maybe you should stay out here until I give you a signal. I really want to surprise them."  
  
"Fine by me."  
  
Clark went inside and Chloe peered through the window. Clark gave Lana a hug and greeted Pete. She watched them smile and talk and then Clark gave her a secret wave. Chloe went inside and casually strolled up to their table.  
  
"Now isn't this a small world after all. Ohm, I wonder if that where they get the name Smallville," she commented.  
  
Pete looked up at the same time as Lana. "Oh my god, Chloe!" Lana exclaimed, giving Chloe a large hug.  
  
"Where have you been hiding yourself?" Pete asked, repeating Lana's gesture.  
  
"Boston."  
  
The four talked for hours until Chloe broke the news that she had to return home. Lana and Pete hugged her again and told her to not be a stranger. Chloe promised as she told them good night. Clark took her by the arm back to the truck.  
  
Clark drove her home in silence and didn't even look her way until he stopped in front of the Sullivan home once more.  
  
"Well, I guess this is good night," Clark said, stating the obvious.  
  
"It's good-bye," Chloe whispered so softly that even with his impeccable hearing, Clark couldn't hear.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing," Chloe smiled. "I didn't say a thing. Good night. It was good to see you again."  
  
She was almost out the door but as if it were an afterthought, Chloe went back and kissed him on the cheek. Then, she got out of the car and headed back to her house, leaving Clark there touching the place her lips had touched with his fingertips. However, had he looked closer to her face in the setting sun, he would've noticed the tears in her eyes that threatened to fall.  
  
The next morning, Clark went over to surprise Chloe with breakfast. The only problem was, her car and her belongings were gone.  
  
She had left without a trace once again, only this time, Clark expected it somehow.  
  
*****  
  
A/N: Sorry about the abrupt ending. I'm just setting you guys all up for the next couple parts to my story. You know, the parts where Chloe and Clark meet up in the future after like five years after this part...wait, I can't tell you anymore because that'll ruin the surprises. Oh, and I'll also have a Chloe part.  
  
If you haven't noticed this already, this is a C/C fic. However, nothing bad will come to any of the other characters. I happen to enjoy all the contributions each character adds, so I do not tend to kill off anyone or hurt them in any way physically. Thanks for reading and reviewing and the next part will be out soon. 


	5. 5

CHAPTER FIVE  
  
Senior year of college. A month before graduation. Chloe's bedroom in an off-campus apartment..  
  
She gripped the phone so tightly that her knuckles began to turn white. It felt like all the life had been sucked out of her and through the receiver of the phone. Her other hand gripped the phone cord as if it were a life boat and she was about to sink.  
  
"W-what did you say?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Ms. Sullivan, but there's has been an accident and your fiancé was killed on impact. The truck hit the motorcycle full force. The driver of the truck was intoxicated and going well above the speed limit. We need you to come down and identify the body. Again, I apologize," the voice on the other end said.  
  
"Thank you," Chloe whispered. Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she hung up the phone. Subconsciously, her right hand strayed to her stomach.  
  
Dead? How could Jay be dead? Why did he have to die on the night that she was going to tell him the news? They were already going to get married, they had planned it for the past three months, now there was another reason for the marriage. The reason growing in Chloe.  
  
Chloe could remember everything about her time with Jay. At first, she never even gave him a second look. He was just some guy from her broadcasting class who never stopped flirting or hitting on her. Chloe would sometimes complain about him to her dad but all her dad would say was, "You know you like it." And she did, that was the sickening part. She loved the banter, the flirting, the incessant candy and flowers that magically appeared on her desk with his number in bold, black ink. Finally, she gave in. She agreed to coffee.  
  
That was only the start of it. They talked for hours that afternoon. They both had so much in common, yet they were both so different. They were both from small towns, they both were editors of their school newspapers at one point or another and they both had crushes on their best friends in high school. However, while Chloe was a slave to coffee, Jay hated it with a passion and while Chloe didn't come from a lot of money, Jay was loaded. Chloe didn't care though. She liked Jay, not his money.  
  
So, coffee turned into lunch the next afternoon and dinner the night after that. Then it was either lunch or dinner every day. At last, Jay spent a few nights over at Chloe's either talking or doing other things. And the two fell in love. After going together for a year and four months, Chloe moved into Jay's apartment. A month later, they were engaged.  
  
That motorcycle. Chloe wouldn't even go near it when he first got it. She warned him that it would be the death of him. It was just too ironic that only two months after she warned him, it ended up killing him.  
  
Chloe sighed and lifted the receiver to her ear once again. She dialed the number that she knew by heart.  
  
"Hello?" a male voice answered.  
  
"Um, Pete? I-I'm p-pregnant," she answered right away. She couldn't control the tremble in her voice.  
  
"Chloe? Is that you?"  
  
"Y-yes. I'm pregnant and J-Jay's d-dead."  
  
"Pete, honey, who is it?" she heard whispered on the other end. "It's Chloe. I think you better grab the other phone, Lana."  
  
"Oh, Lana's there. Maybe I should call again later."  
  
"No! Chloe, I'm right here. Tell us what happened," Lana ordered.  
  
Chloe gave in. She told them the entire story about Jay and the baby. She was two and a half months along and now Jay would never know about their child. What was she going to do?  
  
By the time the three hung up, the plans were already formulated. Chloe was going to finish college, graduate and move back to Smallville to live with her father until she could support herself. Jay's things would be packed and either given to his parents or charity. Any appliances in the kitchen or furniture, besides the television and stereo, were going to the Salvation Army. The theater system in the bedroom and the small radio in the bathroom were going to Lana and Pete, along with an old dresser that mainly held Jay's things. She would keep the pictures of them and of him and pack them with her things. Whatever was left, she would sell at the nearby pawn shop. All she needed were mementos, her things and her car.  
  
In a month, Chloe was headed back to Smallville. She wondered what it was like without Clark.  
  
Maybe she would get in touch with his parents. They always needed a few helping hands.  
  
^-^-^-^-^  
  
So how do you like this? Remember, this stuff is totally AU. 


	6. 6

CHAPTER SIX  
  
Packing and moving day for Chloe, six weeks later.  
  
"Thank you guys so much for helping out. I don't know how I'd manage with all of Jay's things," Chloe said to her friends.  
  
"Hey, I'd do anything for you to thank you for that theater system. It's going to look great in the living room of our new place," Pete said, wrapping his arms around Lana's waist.  
  
"Well, I'm glad. It's not like my dad needs yet another television."  
  
"Chloe, what are you going to do with all of Jay's old clothes?" Lana asked.  
  
"I'm driving down to Goodwill to donate them. Basically everything's going to charity except pictures, my things, some paintings, the television, the stereo, and my car. I don't want anymore reminders than those," Chloe replied, her voice dropping some to hide the tears threatening to reveal themselves.  
  
"Hey, did you hear the good news about Clark?"  
  
"No, what is it Pete?"  
  
"Well, Clark is going to be the next reporter for the Daily Planet."  
  
"You're kidding! Wow, I'd never believe that could happen," Chloe exclaimed.  
  
"Speaking of reporting, what are you going to do with that degree you got?" Lana asked.  
  
"Well, it just so happens that the Ledger is hiring a new copy editor. It pays pretty well and it's safe, so I'll be able to be there for my son or daughter when they're born."  
  
"You've got it all planned out don't you?"  
  
"Of course Pete. Now, let's get back to work. I want to get most of this stuff done today."  
  
"Okay, Pete and I will start moving some of the furniture from upstairs down here while you go pack up yours and Jay's things. You know, decide what you want and what you don't. I'm just really glad that you have an elevator in this building."  
  
"Well, be glad also that I only have one love seat and a whole bunch of bean bag chairs. He really was a bachelor at heart. Oh, and keep, like, two of them. I'd miss them too much."  
  
-------------------------  
  
Meanwhile, Clark is in the Fortress of Solitude, remembering his high school days.  
  
This was it. The last day of being in Smallville. Tomorrow, he would be working at the Daily Planet and having a permanent residence in Metropolis. Oh, how he was going to miss his old small town life.  
  
This never used to be his dream, unlike a young blonde that he used to be best friends with. He used to dream of staying in Smallville, taking over the Kent farm someday, marrying Lana. Not going to college, becoming a journalist, moving to Metropolis.  
  
The years went by. Lana and Pete started seeing each other, Chloe left for good, and Lex distanced himself from Clark. They all were happy, as far as he knew.  
  
He couldn't remember everything that happened while they were in high school, only small bits and pieces. Like, the night of homecoming freshman year, falling for Chloe, the tornado, running out on Chloe and the dance, saving numerous lives, watching Pete and Lana get together, and seeing Chloe leave him for good twice.  
  
He hadn't seen her since that day after high school was over. He doubted that he ever would. She probably had a great job offer somewhere other than the Daily Planet. Wherever she had decided to end up, Clark hoped that she was having a wonderful life.  
  
"Hey son," Jonathan greeted his son as he climbed the steps.  
  
"Hey dad."  
  
"Your mom wants us down for dinner."  
  
"I'll be there in a moment."  
  
Jonathan Kent didn't say a word, just left to let his son have some peace. Clark looked around him. There was the telescope that he used to watch Lana with gathering dust in the corner. The couch was covered with a thick film of dust and dirt. It had been so long since he was last in this loft.  
  
Clark sighed and went over to the stairs. With one last glance behind him, Clark climbed down the stairs and left the days of his youth behind him. 


	7. 7

CHAPTER SEVEN  
  
Takes place six years later. Chloe and her daughter are living at the Kent farm.  
  
"Mommy, mommy, someone's here!" Leona Rachelle Sullivan, or Lee as everyone called her, yelled from the 'Fortress of Solitude.' When they had just moved there, only a year before, Lee had ran straight to the doors of the barn and up the stairs. She had taken a liking to all of the things there and soon, you couldn't get her to leave without physical force.  
  
Chloe got up from the flower beds in front of the house and slowly turned. There was a tall man with dark brown hair, glasses, and dressed in a suit. Chloe took off her gardening gloves and set them on the porch railing before she walked up to the stranger.  
  
"Can I help you?" she asked politely.  
  
"Yes, I was looking for my parents."  
  
"Oh, Martha is inside cooking dinner and Jonathan hasn't come home from town yet."  
  
Lee ran to her mother and clung to Chloe's waist. She scrutinized Clark from head to toe with her hazel eyes widening in curiosity. "Mommy, who is he?"  
  
"This is Clark, honey. Clark, this is my daughter, Leona."  
  
"Nice to meet you, Leona," Clark greeted her, sticking his hand out to the little girl.  
  
Lee took it in her tiny hand. "It's Lee. Lee Sullivan."  
  
"Lee, go find Martha. Tell her that it's urgent."  
  
Lee nodded and ran into the house, her auburn pigtails flying behind her. Clark watched her, being reminded of Chloe's spunk, then turned back to the woman before him.  
  
"So, Chloe, you have a daughter."  
  
"Pretty much stating the obvious."  
  
"Who's the father?"  
  
"My fiancé back in college. He died before Lee was born."  
  
"Why are you living with my parents?"  
  
"I needed a place to stay after my father died and I had to sell off the house to cover debts. Your parents were gracious enough to offer me a place to stay, as long as I earn my keep. I work as a high school journalism teacher and I help out with whatever I can around here. What are you doing back anyway? I thought that you were the hotshot reporter of the Daily Planet and you were married," Chloe explained.  
  
"I was married. Lois died in a car accident a couple months back. I'm on a forced vacation from my editor."  
  
"How ironic."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Jay, my fiancé, was killed in a motorcycle accident."  
  
They were silent for a few seconds before Clark finally broke in with a question. "Why didn't you ever become a reporter? I mean, you were so driven in high school. I would've thought that no matter what you would become one."  
  
"Well, actually, I was all set to be a journalist. I had the degree, the job offer, I was going to be getting married to a wonderful man who loved me, and I had a child on the way. Then life happened. I got a call late one night saying my fiancé was dead, I couldn't keep the apartment that we were living in, Lee was coming, and I couldn't handle all the pressure anymore. I moved back here and lived with my dad until he had a stroke and died. Now, I take care of my five-year-old daughter and I help your parents out. I have a good life and I wouldn't change it for the world," Chloe replied.  
  
Clark studied her as she told him all these things. "So, you're happy?"  
  
Chloe nodded. "Yeah, more than you know."  
  
At that point, Martha came out of the house and Jonathan drove up in the truck. "Chloe, Lee said that there was an emer.gen.cy," Martha said, noticing her son standing beside Chloe.  
  
"Clark, what are you doing home? Jonathan, come say hello to your son," Martha said, as she came down from the porch and embraced Clark. Jonathan joined them just seconds later and enveloped Clark in a hug after Martha let go.  
  
"Hey son."  
  
"Dad."  
  
Chloe backed away from the trio and went into the house, leading Lee away from the open doorway. "Mommy, why are the Kents treating Clark like that?"  
  
"Clark's their son and he hasn't been around for awhile, that's why."  
  
"Oh. Why hasn't he been home for awhile?"  
  
"Um, I don't know. Maybe it's because he has a busy life in Metropolis. You'll have to ask him yourself. Now, come on, let's go finish dinner for Martha. I'm sure she and Jonathan have a lot of catching up to do with Clark." 


	8. 8

CHAPTER EIGHT  
  
Later that night, Jonathan and Martha were asleep upstairs and Clark was sitting on the couch with his laptop on the coffee table busily writing. Chloe had just finished drying dishes and putting them away in their respective cupboards. Lee was asleep at the dining room table, a coloring book being used as a makeshift pillow and her fingers wrapped around a tiny crayon. Chloe sighed, just looking at the sight before her. With a little smile tugging at her lips, Chloe gathered Lee into her arms and pried the violet crayon from her hold. She closed the coloring book and crayon box, leaving them on the table as she carried her tiny daughter to her room just at the top of the stairs.  
  
When Chloe came back downstairs, Clark was at the table with a plate of chocolate chip cookies and two glasses of milk set before him. She chuckled as she sat across from him.  
  
"What exactly is all this?" Chloe asked, indicating the food and drink.  
  
"What? Chocolate chip cookies aren't your favorite anymore?"  
  
Chloe just shook her head as she pushed the book and box to the corner of the table. "No, they are. But just a second ago you had your fingers flying over the keys of your laptop. What gives?"  
  
"Just thought that this would be a good opportunity for us to catch up with each other's lives. A lot has changed since you left that final time after senior year."  
  
"Yeah, you're right. A lot has changed. So, what makes you so certain that I'd even want to 'catch up?' Maybe I'm happier just not knowing what's going on in your life." She took a drink of her milk.  
  
Clark nodded, taking a cookie. "So, what about your life?"  
  
Chloe almost choked over her mouthful of milk. She swallowed with a large gulp. "Don't you think you know enough about my life already? I did tell you most of it when you first arrived," Chloe said.  
  
"Okay, we'll just skip your life for now. How about you tell me a little bit more about that spitball you call a daughter?"  
  
"Well, Leona Rachelle Sullivan was born on December 13 and she's five years old. Pete and Lana were there when she was born and they helped me picked out her first name. Her middle name is my great-grandmother's name. She inherited her auburn hair, love of art and love for the outdoors from her father and the rest-the inquisitiveness, curiosity, spunk, a soft spot for that old loft-all comes from me. Lee is one big ball of energy who usually has either mud or pieces of hay all over her clothing and hair. She could tire any person out within a day of spending time with them," Chloe described, her eyes lighting up with every detail.  
  
"She sounds like a five-year-old you."  
  
Chloe smiled. "Yeah, I guess that's what she is."  
  
Clark stared at Chloe for a moment longer than he should have. Chloe was beginning to feel awkward. "Clark, why are you looking at me like that?" she demanded.  
  
Clark shook his head to shake himself out of his trance. "Sorry, I'm just having a hard time imagining how the Chloe I knew from high school and the Chloe I see in front of me could be the same person."  
  
Chloe playfully smacked him upside the head. "That's it. I'm going to bed. If you need me, I'll be in what used to be your room."  
  
Before what she said could sink in, Chloe was already up the stairs. Clark shook his head with a grin pasted on his face. He cleaned up the cookies and milk, flipped through Lee's coloring book, and finally went back to the living room.  
  
However, he didn't go to bed. He opened his laptop and began all over again what he was working on before Chloe came down.  
  
Research.  
  
Ever since earlier that day, when Chloe told him that she had been engaged, Clark had wondered just how different her life had been without him. It was something that he hadn't wondered in quite awhile.  
  
He knew that she had lived in Boston, probably went to college there too, now all he had to do was a search in the college web sites and local newspapers.  
  
When he typed in the name SULLIVAN, CHLOE ANNE in the Boston University registry, he got both her name and the name of a man named Jay P. Quinton for the same address. "They were engaged, after all," Clark reminded himself.  
  
It was the articles that he found that surprised him the most. There were a couple about the engagement, with headlines like 'HEIR TO QUINTON ENTERPRISES TO MARRY HIS COLLEGE SWEETHEART, CHLOE SULLIVAN.' Sure, it was shocking to find out that Chloe would marry someone about to inherit millions, but that wasn't the most surprising one of all. It was the very last result of the search.  
  
'LOCAL TEACHER DIES OF LEUKEMIA'  
  
With his curiosity peaked, Clark clicked on the title and this is what he read:  
  
**Local elementary school teacher and library volunteer, Celia Lauren Sullivan, loses the battle of leukemia at the age of forty-four.  
  
Diagnosed just three years before, Sullivan has undergone many chemotherapy treatments and surgeries while she still taught her third grade class and read to her group of preschoolers during the weekends.  
  
Sullivan leaves behind Chloe, her twenty-year-old daughter, and many memories for the groups of young children she taught each year.**  
  
"So, that's the reason," Clark whispered.  
  
"What's the reason?"  
  
Clark turned around to see Chloe standing behind him. "Nothing," Clark answered her.  
  
"Yeah, right."  
  
"Fine, I did some research to find out why you kept leaving and what kind of life you lived in Boston."  
  
Chloe gasped and her eyes widened simultaneously. "Why did you do that?"  
  
"I don't know. Maybe I was curious to find out why a seventeen-year-old who had everything in this town would get up and leave it without another word or thought," he replied.  
  
"It was none of your business. You had no right to know."  
  
"I had every right to know. We're best friends!" Clark yelled, standing to face her. "You could've told me that your mom was sick and that it wasn't your aunt who you were staying with! I could've helped you get through it!"  
  
"Why are you making this all about you? It's not! It had and has nothing to do about you! She was my mom, Clark! I barely knew her, even when she and my father were still together! When the opportunity to get to know her better arose, I took it! Excuse me for not asking your permission to do so first!" Chloe screamed, her face turning a dark red with anger.  
  
"Then why did you come back that summer if she was so sick?"  
  
"You really think I wanted to in the first place? The only reason I did was because she was in remission and she convinced me to. My mom thought it would be a good idea to see my dad and you before she got any worse and I would have to stay," Chloe said, calming down a bit.  
  
"Does anyone else know what you told me?"  
  
"Yeah. My dad, Lee, your parents, Lana, Pete, and Jay."  
  
"So, I'm the last to know?"  
  
"No, but you are the only one I didn't want to know."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Your life doesn't consist of me anymore. Why would I want someone who is basically a stranger to me now to know my biggest secret?"  
  
"We aren't strangers. We're best friends."  
  
Chloe shook her head. "Correction Clark. We were best friends. I don't even know what we are now."  
  
With those last words, Chloe backed away and left the house. Where she was going, not even Chloe knew.  
  
When Clark turned back around, Lee was standing on the stairs and his parents were standing in the doorway. 


	9. 9

CHAPTER NINE  
  
Pete Ross awoke to the sound of someone banging incessantly at the front door. He looked over at his fiancé, Lana, who was still fast asleep and then at the clock. 1:28. Who the heck would be knocking at that time? Better question yet, how was Lana being able to sleep through it?  
  
Pete groaned. Carefully unwrapping his arms from Lana's sleeping form, Pete got out of bed. He put on a gray t-shirt over his black boxers and headed downstairs.  
  
Pete opened the front door and saw Chloe standing there, her fist poised to knock again.  
  
"Chloe? What are you doing here? Are you insane?"  
  
Her eyes were red and puffy and tears were running down her face. The last time she had acted this way was six years ago.  
  
"Sorry. I-I shouldn't h-have come here."  
  
"No, it's okay. Come on in. I'll fix you some hot coffee," Pete said, taking her by the arm. He shut the door as soon as she was inside. "Okay, spill. What going on? Is it Lee?"  
  
"No, it's not Lee. It's Clark."  
  
Chloe sat down on one of the stools at the island that was in the middle of the kitchen. Pete almost dropped the bag of coffee grounds. "Clark Kent?"  
  
"How many Clarks do you know?" she asked bitingly.  
  
"So, why's he here? I thought he was hotshot reporter guy."  
  
"Oh, he is. He's on a forced vacation from his editor."  
  
Pete slipped into the seat across from her. "Wait, he got a vacation from his job for the next couple of weeks and he chose to come here? That guy's got some deep-set issues."  
  
"Yeah, but Clark's never been a guy that I'd call normal. He was dressed in a suit, Pete. A suit!"  
  
"Who was dressed in a suit?" Lana's voice interrupted from the kitchen doorway.  
  
"Hey babe. Did we wake you?" Pete asked.  
  
Lana shook her head as she sat in the chair next to him. "No, of course not. I woke up and you weren't there, so I thought I'd find you." She gave him a tiny peck on the cheek. "So, who was dressed in a suit?"  
  
"Clark Kent."  
  
"He's back in town?"  
  
"Yeah, vacation. So, Chloe, what are you doing here crying? Just because he's here can't be the thing that made you come over here sobbing," Pete questioned.  
  
"I was not sobbing. Crying mildly, but not sobbing."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"It was nothing really. God, I don't even know why I left now. I just.he just." Chloe took a deep breath and Pete went to get their coffee. Chloe took the mug from his had and gulped down half of it. Feeling better, she set it down. "He was researching my life. He found the article about my mom. You know, the one about her death. He got pretty upset that I didn't share the news with him and I got even more upset that he had found it and tried to make it all about him."  
  
"How so?" Lana asked.  
  
"He was mad about being the last to know and that I should've told him everything since we're best friends. That's when I brought up the fact that we're no longer best friends, but more closer to strangers. I guess we're more like acquaintances now, but he still should've waited for me to share my life," Chloe answered.  
  
"Chloe, are you more angry about him finding out or that he didn't wait for you to tell him?" Lana asked.  
  
"That he didn't wait for me to tell him. I mean, he's only seen me again for a day after what, six years, and he's already researching my life!" Chloe exclaimed. She picked up her mug and gulped down the now lukewarm coffee.  
  
Pete and Lana exchanged knowing glances. "Chloe, is there a chance that you may have deep down feelings for Clark left over from your days in high school?" Lana asked.  
  
Chloe almost dropped the mug. "No.yes.I don't know. Even if I do, I can't act on them no matter how much I would want to."  
  
"Why not? If he were to feel the same way then you both could finally be happy. Chloe, I haven't seen you truly happy since Jay died. You deserve to have some happiness," Pete reasoned.  
  
Chloe shook her head. "No! Not going to happen! He just lost his wife Pete. He's still hurting, I can tell. He hasn't let go. And so what if I'm not truly happy? I'm happy enough with the life I've built. I have my daughter and friends, that's all I need. I do have feelings for him, I've had them since the eighth grade. But that doesn't mean I'm going to act on them," Chloe told them.  
  
"Okay, Chloe, we understand. I think that you need to Clark though," Pete said, trying to calm her down.  
  
"Yeah, I guess."  
  
The three sat in silence, only the hands of the hallway clock ticking could be heard.  
  
()*()*()*()*()*()*()  
  
Martha had put Lee to bed only minutes before, but Lee was not yet ready to sleep. She waited until she heard Jonathan and Martha say good night through the crack of her door and then their bedroom door shut below her. Climbing out of her bed as quietly as she could, Lee padded out of her room in slipper feet.  
  
The television in the living room was on but Clark wasn't in the room. Lee frowned and checked the kitchen. Not there either. She went to the front door and opened it slowly so it wouldn't squeak. Lee saw a shadow in the barn and ran as fast as her little legs could carry her towards it. She climbed the steps, skipping the ones that she knew made noise. When she reached the loft, she saw Clark sitting on the couch with her photo album in his hands.  
  
"Hey Clark, what're you doing with that?"  
  
"Oh, sorry Lee. Is it yours?"  
  
"Yeah, mommy gave it to me on my fifth birthday. It was hers when she was a teenager."  
  
"Oh. I was just looking through it. Maybe you could help me understand some of the more recent additions."  
  
"Okay." Lee walked up and sat down on the couch next to him. Clark reopened the book to the beginning. It was the picture of him and Chloe when they were fifteen. The one that he had torn up when Chloe had moved. "Hey, that's you and mommy. She was so pretty."  
  
"Yeah," Clark murmured, which caused Lee to look at him funny.  
  
She quickly turned the page. "This is Gramma and Grampa's wedding photo. And this is mommy as a baby. Grampa and mommy when they first moved here. Just Grampa. Just Gramma, before she was sick. Mommy and Gramma when mommy graduated. Daddy on his motorcycle. Mommy and daddy. Auntie Lana and Uncle Pete. Mommy at her college graduation. Me as a baby. Me when I was two with Auntie Lana. Me when I was two with Uncle Pete. My fourth birthday when I landed face first in the chocolate cake. Me with your parents. Uncle Jonathan giving me a piggyback ride. Auntie Martha, mommy, and me on the porch. Uncle Pete throwing me into the pile of hay. Mommy in the mud after I pushed her in. Mommy pulling Uncle Pete in with her after he laughed. And a picture of Superman from the newspaper."  
  
Clark watched Lee's face light up with each picture. Chloe had raised one of the greatest little girls that he had ever met. He closed the book and put it on the stand beside the couch.  
  
"Lee, do you miss your daddy?"  
  
The little smile on Lee's face vanished and her face crinkled into a thoughtful expression. "Yeah, sometimes. I wish that he was here with mommy and me. Don't tell mommy, but I get mad at him sometimes."  
  
Clark was taken aback. "Why?"  
  
"I get mad that he died and left mommy. She seems so sad sometimes. I can tell that when she looks at me she sees daddy and then she leaves suddenly. Then, there are times when I'm happy he's not here because it's just us," Lee explained.  
  
"Lee, how old were you when your mommy told you he was dead?"  
  
"I was three. I asked her why he was never around and that's when she told me. Want to know another secret?" Clark nodded and Lee got real close to his ear. Then she whispered, "I don't miss him like mommy does. I don't know how."  
  
She pulled back and the expression on her round face was enough to make Clark want to run. It was a mixture of innocence and guilt that he'd never seen on someone so young.  
  
"How come?"  
  
"How do you miss something or someone that you've only heard stories about. That you've never met yourself. They're not living to you, they're only storybook cut-outs. You don't know them personally, only from rumors or simple stories," Lee told him.  
  
"How come you're so smart?"  
  
Lee shrugged. "I have no one my age to talk to. Only grown-ups."  
  
"What about classmates?"  
  
"Nope. They don't like me much because I like to be alone a lot."  
  
"Well, anytime you'd like to talk, I'm available."  
  
"Thanks. Clark, will you read to me? Mommy usually does, but she's not here."  
  
"Sure, what do you want me to read?"  
  
"It don't matter."  
  
Clark picked up the closest book to them and started to read. Lee curled up to his side and Clark put an arm around her. Within moments, Lee was asleep. Clark soon followed minutes later. 


	10. 10

CHAPTER TEN  
  
Chloe arrived home an hour later and went straight to Lee's room to check on her. She wasn't worried when she saw Lee's empty bed. Chloe knew that there would only be one place her daughter could be this late at night.  
  
Chloe climbed the stairs to the loft as quietly as possible. What she saw shocked her the most. Lee was curled up on the couch, using Clark as her pillow, and Clark was sleeping with a book lying face down on one leg, one arm around Lee and the other on the armrest. His head was tilted back and Chloe swore she heard him snoring.  
  
Chloe smile turned mischievous as she grabbed the disposable camera on the shelf closest to them. This would go great in the album. She was able to snap a few shots before Clark's eyes slowly opened and she had to return the camera back to the shelf immediately.  
  
"Hey, Chloe, when did you get here?"  
  
"Awhile ago. So, which one of you fell asleep first?"  
  
Clark looked down at Lee's sleeping form then back up at Chloe. "Lee did, of course. You want me to get her to bed."  
  
"Nah, I got it."  
  
Chloe bent down and spoke in hushed whispers to her daughter. Clark heard a moan from Lee and then saw Lee wrap her arms around Chloe's neck. Chloe lifted her daughter with ease and locked her arms underneath Lee's legs.  
  
"See, told you I got it," Chloe said as she made her way down the barn stairs and towards the house.  
  
"I take it you do this a lot?"  
  
Chloe just nodded as she made her way into the house and up the stairs to Lee's room. Chloe laid Lee down and covered her with the quilt. She gave Lee a peck on the forehead and left the room, shutting the door behind her. Clark was waiting for her just outside, leaning against the wall.  
  
"Clark, can we talk about what happened earlier?" Chloe asked.  
  
"I guess so."  
  
Chloe led Clark downstairs, back into the living room. They sat facing opposite of each other. Chloe tucked her legs under her while Clark stretched his out.  
  
"What happened Chlo? The Chloe Sullivan I used to know never had outbursts like the one you had earlier. I want to know what's going on. And why aren't we best friends anymore?" Clark interrogated.  
  
"Whoa, Clark. One question at a time. Let's start with what happened," Chloe replied. I was upset that you didn't wait for me to tell you about my mother or anything else that may have happened during those years we weren't on a speaking basis. I mean, you see me for twelve hours after a decade and you're already in research mode. Did you ever think that maybe I had reasons as to why I like to keep that part of my life a secret?"  
  
"No--"  
  
"God, Clark, I keep that a secret because usually if a person who doesn't know finds out, they look at me with pity in their eyes."  
  
"But, Chloe, you should know that I would never look at you like that."  
  
Chloe shook her head and squinted her eyes. "But you did. For a brief second when I came down here, you looked at me with pity in your eyes. I know you probably couldn't help it, but you did," Chloe said, raising her voice a bit. She lowered her voice with the next thing she said along with her head. "As for the best friends thing, we aren't that anymore because we both chose not to be. I chose to go to Boston and ignore my life here and you got married and led a different life. Did you really expect that we'd just fall back into our old ways after an entire decade of not speaking to each other?"  
  
Clark wasn't able to look her in the face. She had a point. There was no possible way to be able to go back to being as close as they used to be. Had it really been that long? Yes it had. Ten years since high school, ten years since they're last meeting, ten years in which he should've been able to leave all the angst of growing up behind him. However, as it turns out, he still had growing to do. Not with his powers or physically, but mentally and emotionally.  
  
Clark shook his head. "Not at first, not until I saw you standing there. You looked so different, yet so much the same that it took me back to those days when we would hang out at The Talon or in the office of The Torch. Chloe, do you ever think that we could be like that again? I mean, not totally since we both grew up a little and you have Lee, but somewhat like the best friends we were?"  
  
"I don't know. Are you willing to accept that there are things in my life that you'll have to wait for me to tell you?"  
  
"If it means being friends again, then yes."  
  
"Then, yes, one day we might become the friends we once were."  
  
\|\|\|\|\|\|  
  
A/N: So, you like? Now that they're established friends, we get into the good stuff. I had a friend who was reading this the other night and she gave me the weirdest look. When I asked her about it she answered that it was nothing. Well, I kept prodding and prodding and here's the questions she asked.  
  
1) If it's been a decade, when's the high school reunion?  
  
2) You've told us what happened to Clark, Lana, Pete, Chloe, and Clark's parents. What about Lex?  
  
My answers to her were, just wait and see. It's coming up, don't worry so much. 


	11. 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN  
  
Chloe awoke to the shrill ringing of the cordless phone. She took a moment to glance around. She was in her own bed but she didn't remember getting there. She shrugged and reached out her arm, grabbing the telephone off of the nightstand. With her face still buried in her pillow, Chloe blindly turned on the phone to stop the incessant ringing that she was sure that had awaken the rest of the household.  
  
"Hello?" Chloe answered, her voice muffled from the pillow.  
  
"Young lady, do you know how rude it is to not answer a person's phone call right away?" a familiar voice snapped. 'Oh my goodness, this sounds just like.no, it couldn't be. Could it?'  
  
"Who is this?"  
  
"I think you should know. You were after all engaged to my son."  
  
"Amelia Quinton?!" Chloe exclaimed, sitting up.  
  
"Don't raise your voice, it is not polite and it is improper."  
  
"Sorry," Chloe mumbled. "Wait a second, how did you get this number?"  
  
"You should remember that Roger has contacts in the FBI and various organizations. I had him track you down," Amelia said haughtily.  
  
"You had Mr. Quinton track my telephone number down. Why exactly would you do that?" Chloe asked disbelievingly.  
  
"I want to see our granddaughter. I want to make sure that you didn't rub off on her."  
  
"I don't believe this. Why now? You never wanted to see her much when she was born or even when she was a toddler. I believe your exact words were, 'Our son was our only connection to that child and now that he's dead, so are our ties with it,'" Chloe replied, anger bubbling inside her. "Besides, she's my daughter which means that no matter what, I will rub off on her. I don't care if you like it or not."  
  
"This is exactly what I am talking about. Your attitude, young lady, is not suitable for a child of Quinton blood."  
  
"My attitude? What about yours? What do you have, ice in your veins? Or is the wind chill factor in the city that makes your voice so icy?"  
  
"I will see my son's daughter and if I don't like what I see in her upbringing, I am bringing her back with me to Boston."  
  
"Oh, no you won't. She's staying put. You may see her if you must, but she's not going back with you. She's five and very impressionable and I won't have her raised in your world of high society and back stabbing," Chloe said adamantly.  
  
"You may very well have no choice."  
  
"Don't you dare threaten me. Remember, I know what goes on behind closed doors in your knick of the woods. I know how to play your game and win. So, don't threaten me because I may very well not be in the mood."  
  
"Fine, but since we're already on our way to that little place you call a town we will see our granddaughter. You have approximately twenty minutes to make the girl look presentable."  
  
"Fine, as long as one thing is made clear."  
  
"What may that be?"  
  
"You agree that no matter what happens, you won't try to make her go with you."  
  
"Deal. You're down to eighteen minutes." With that the line went dead.  
  
Chloe turned the phone off and threw it into the pile of laundry in the corner by her desk. That woman had to be the most infuriating woman in three continents. She came from money, lived on money, and would probably die with it. Anyone who didn't, just didn't measure up and was frowned upon. Amelia thought people who didn't have the same amount of money or more as herself was immoral. Not only that, but the woman was the most proper woman Chloe had ever met and she seemed like she had a permanent scowl on her face. Chloe always thought that if she smiled, her face would crack in a million different pieces.  
  
Now, she was coming to Smallville to judge Chloe as a mother.  
  
Chloe reluctantly got out of bed and headed downstairs where she knew everyone would most likely be. She was right. Jonathan was at the table along with Clark and Lee was watching Martha cook breakfast. She cleared her throat and they all looked at her.  
  
"I have some good news and some bad."  
  
"What is it honey?" Martha asked.  
  
"Well, Lee gets to finally meet her grandparents. Bad news, if everyone isn't dressed in their finest in the next thirteen minutes or by the time they get here, Mrs. Quinton is going to declare me an unfit mother and take Lee into their world," Chloe informed them. "Come on, Lee, let's go upstairs and get you dressed."  
  
Chloe put Lee in sunny yellow dress had short sleeves, a simple collar and daisies scattered all over it. She made Lee wear a pair of white stockings and black dress shoes. She brushed Lee's auburn waves an pulled them back into a yellow barrette.  
  
Chloe dressed herself in a pair of loose black dress pants, a simple ivory sweater, and black heels. She pulled her shoulder-length blonde tresses into a French twist and applied a layer of soft brown eye shadow and tinted lip gloss.  
  
When she and Lee made it back downstairs, with only two minutes to spare, only Clark was there dressed in another suit. His hair was neatly combed and his glasses were in place.  
  
"Where's your parents?" Chloe inquired.  
  
"They decided to make themselves scarce."  
  
Chloe looked out the window just in time to see a black limo pull up and a woman in a dark blue suit with the skirt just below her knees and a white blouse step out with the help of the chauffer. Chloe snorted and shook her head in disgust. Clark turned around to see the same woman, with gray hair in a tight bun and her gold earrings catching the early rays of the sun.  
  
"That's the woman who was going to be your mother-in-law?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. And see the feeble man with the white hair behind her?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"That's her husband."  
  
Chloe went over and opened the front door. "Mrs. Quinton," Chloe greeted her with a cold tone.  
  
"Chloe."  
  
Clark was sure that the room temperature had dropped at least twenty degrees with that greeting.  
  
"Well, if it isn't Chloe Sullivan," Roger Quinton greeted Chloe with a smile on his face.  
  
"Mr. Quinton, how've you been?" Chloe greeted him with the same smile.  
  
"I've told you child, call me Roger. As for how I've been, my joints ache and I sleep most of the day. But hey, I am getting older so it's no big thing," Roger answered.  
  
"Aw, Roger, you're not that old."  
  
"Who you trying to fool?"  
  
Roger wrapped his arms around the woman who used to be the fiancé of his only son. Chloe reciprocated the action and leaned in to ask in a low voice, "It's her isn't it?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. I swear my wife should have been a prison guard or something," Roger whispered, then pulled away.  
  
"Where is my grandchild?" Amelia demanded breaking through the family moment.  
  
"Your grandchild has a name you know."  
  
"Yes, well, we cannot be bothered by such trivial things."  
  
"I bet you're a real hit at office Christmas parties, aren't you?"  
  
Roger had to stifle the chuckle with a cough while Amelia looked on with a look of utter disgust. Chloe rolled her eyes.  
  
"I repeat, where is my grandchild and while I'm at it, who is that man?"  
  
"That man is Clark Kent, a good friend of mine from out of town, and your grandchild's name is Leona."  
  
"That is no name. Who chose that name for the child? You, I suppose."  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. Is there a problem?"  
  
"Chloe, where's Leona?" Roger asked trying to restore a miniscule of peace.  
  
"I'm right here," Lee said as she came out of the kitchen, "and everyone calls me Lee."  
  
Amelia looked as if someone had hit her. Her eyes were wide her and nose was flaring. "Lee? You call your daughter Lee? That is not a name for a little girl. Lee is a boy's name."  
  
"Actually, Mrs. Quinton, it's unisex," Clark pointed out.  
  
Amelia turned to the stranger who had dared to talk out of turn. "Excuse me?" she asked in a cool and collected manner.  
  
Clark was never afraid of people of her position of power but when Amelia turned his way, he shrunk away a bit. "I was just pointing out that Lee isn't just a boy's name, it can be a girl's name too."  
  
"Whatever. Now, I would like to talk to my granddaughter alone. If you all would be so kind as to leave the room now," Amelia ordered.  
  
"Come on, Chloe. Let my wife talk to Leona while you, Clark and me have a little talk ourselves," Roger said before Chloe could object. Chloe nodded mutely and followed him into the kitchen.  
  
When they were gone, Lee looked shyly at her grandmother. "You're my other gramma?"  
  
Amelia stared down at the girl. "Yes I am," she replied stiffly.  
  
"Why are you mean?"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Mean. You're mean to mommy. Why?"  
  
Amelia open and shut her mouth like a fish out of the water. "I.well.I." for the first time in her entire life, Amelia had no idea what to say.  
  
"Is it because daddy's dead?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Daddy. Are you mean to mommy because of him?"  
  
"No, why would you think that?"  
  
Lee shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know."  
  
"No, I just don't like your mommy."  
  
"Did she do something bad?"  
  
"No--"  
  
"Then why?"  
  
Amelia sighed. She had to find an answer that a child would understand. "I just don't like her. She reminds me too much of myself at her age."  
  
Lee looked confused. "But mommy isn't like you. She's nice."  
  
"You're just a little girl, you don't know anything."  
  
Lee's eyes narrowed and her arms folded across her chest. "I do too. I know that you're not a nice person and you look like one of those birds in Uncle Jonathan's stories."  
  
Amelia's face turned a deep red. How dare a little girl try to insult her! "Roger! Roger, get out her right now!"  
  
Roger came running to his wife's side with Clark and Chloe at his heels. "What? What's wrong?"  
  
"And why is my daughter standing there like she's facing a bully?"  
  
"That child is a nuisance and has no manners once-so-ever. How dare she speak to me so improperly," Amelia said.  
  
"I just told the truth," Lee pointed out.  
  
"Amelia, honey, I think it may be time for us to leave. Why don't you wait in the limo for me. I'll be out in a moment," Roger calmed his wife. Amelia just sighed and did as he asked. Roger turned back to Chloe, Lee, and Clark. "I'm sorry about that. Sometimes my wife speaks before she acts. Good-bye Lee, it was nice to meet you. Chloe, six years sound good to you?"  
  
"Sure Roger." Chloe gave Roger a hurried hug, Clark shook hands with him, and Lee wrapped her tiny arms around his waist. The sound of the limo honking told Roger that his wife was getting impatient. With a small wave, Roger strolled out the door.  
  
"So, that was the Quinton family," Clark stated.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Interesting people."  
  
"Oh, yeah."  
  
Chloe and Lee went to their rooms to change and Clark sat back down on the couch. 


	12. 12

CHAPTER TWELVE  
  
That night, Clark received an e-mail from a woman by the name of Elisa Stover. It read:  
  
**Dear Mr. Kent,  
  
This is an e-mail to notify you of the reunion for the class of 2005. An invitation was sent to your family two weeks ago and we have found that you have not RSVP yet. We understand that even in this day and age, mail tends to get lost or people forget things in their hectic scheduling. This is just a reminder.  
  
The reunion is being held this Saturday, June 19, at 7:00 pm in the Smallville High gymnasium. If you plan to attend, please send me an e- mail. My address is EAStover@aol.com. We all hope to see you there.  
  
Sincerely, Elisa A. Stover**  
  
"Hey, Chloe!" Clark called towards the kitchen.  
  
Chloe came in with Lee in tow, both had chocolate sauce smudged on their noses, cheeks, clothing, and everywhere else. Lee had whipped cream on her chin and Chloe had whipped cream on the top of her head. They wore smiles on their face.  
  
"What Clark?" Chloe said laughing.  
  
"Did you hear about the reunion this Saturday?"  
  
"Of course. I'm hosting it."  
  
"Then why did I get an e-mail from Elisa Stover instead of you?"  
  
"Elisa's helping out with the reunion and she's handling the reservation list."  
  
"Who is she?"  
  
"She's head of the English department. The only reason why they wanted me to host it instead of her is because I went there, I'm a teacher there, and I ran the school newspaper back then," Chloe explained.  
  
"But you never graduated from Smallville High."  
  
"I know that and they know that. But I was the only one willing to give up an entire Saturday just to put it all together. Listen, Clark, I got to do something important tonight that I've been putting off. Would you watch Lee for me?" Chloe said.  
  
"I'd be glad to. For how long?"  
  
"I don't know. I'll just get her cleaned up and in her pajama's before I go so you have an easier job." She took Lee by the hand up to their rooms to change out of the sticky clothing.  
  
He turned off his laptop and closed the cover. He went in the kitchen and brought out the mayonnaise, mustard, turkey, ham, and cheddar cheese from the refrigerator and a loaf of bread from the breadbox for a sandwich. He placed the ingredients on the counter and started to make himself a large sandwich.  
  
Just as he was finishing and about the bite into it, Chloe and Lee breezed by and took it out of his hand. Chloe put it on the table and Lee sat down. Clark just sighed and set out to make another.  
  
Chloe went up to him and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for doing this and making her a sandwich. I'll be back by eleven, I promise," she said.  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Clark grumbled. He heard Chloe laughing as she slipped on her denim jacket and headed out the door.  
  
Clark shook his head. There was just something about Chloe that attracted him.  
  
+==+ +==+ +==+ +==+ +==+  
  
She entered the building carefully, trying not to step on some of the loose nails that lay on the ground. It had started to rain only minutes ago and that added to the ambiance of the rundown, rickety old mansion. Hard to believe that only nine years ago, this had been one of the highlights of Smallville charm.  
  
As she stepped through into the living room, she could feel the desolation of the once lively estate. She climbed the stairwell, wary not to step on any of the cracked stairs. She got to the old office and slowly opened the door.  
  
"Lex, you called me. What's wrong?"  
  
He turned from the window that no longer held glass. "I heard Clark Kent was in town."  
  
"And where, pray tell, did you hear that from?"  
  
"I have my resources. So did you tell him that it was me that you were coming to see?"  
  
"No, I have no reason to. It's not like I'm here to do you a favor. I'm only here to see what's wrong with you and why you'd call me of all people," she said.  
  
He turned back around and said, "Chloe, do you know how many times I've come to this place since it no longer held occupants?"  
  
"No, should I?"  
  
"Once every month for nine years. I stay for an hour, remember back to time when things were simpler and I had friends, then I leave. Kind of lonely, don't you think?" he said, his voice distant.  
  
"Oh to woe is you. Lex if you're lonely, it's because you chose to be that way. You think I'm going to feel sorry for a man who ruined his life on purpose?" Chloe said, her voice as harsh as his was distant. "I may have been gone most of high school but I did have people to tell me what was going on. You wanted Clark to make a deal with the devil, you being the devil. You wanted to use Clark for your own personal gain and got angry when Clark refused to be treated that way. Did I leave anything out?"  
  
"Chloe, I think you should leave."  
  
"Fine, but remember this Lex. You want to have friends, you wanted to be treated the way you were when you were twenty-one, quit acting like the world is against you. Give up trying to control everything and everyone around you and using people to your own advantage," Chloe said.  
  
"Good-bye Chloe," Lex said. Chloe turned on her heel and started to walk towards the door. She didn't get halfway before she heard Lex whisper, "Just ask him who he really is."  
  
She pushed to the farthest reaches of her mind then continued on her way.  
  
_____________  
  
AN: Well I hope that satisfies your curiosity about Lex. 


	13. 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN  
  
**Night of the reunion. Clark is getting ready at the Kent Farm and Chloe has already left.**  
  
Clark was in the guest bedroom going through the suits that he had recently gone back Metropolis to get, trying to find the most suitable one for the evening. It was the night of the reunion and he wanted to make a lasting impression, mostly on Chloe.  
  
He heard a faint knocking on the door and opened it to find Lee standing there, dressed in a blue shirt and a brown skirt. She wore white tennis shoes with blue socks and her hair was braided with a blue ribbon tying the ends.  
  
"And where are you going tonight so dressed up?" Clark asked.  
  
"Dinner with Auntie Martha. Since all the grown-ups are going out and Uncle Jonathan doesn't feel so good, she's taking me out for pizza," Lee said proudly.  
  
"Save some for me."  
  
"Okay. You're not dressed," Lee said, indicating just the dress pants and undershirt Clark was wearing.  
  
"I don't know what to wear."  
  
Lee pushed past him and over to where the suits were sprawled out on the bed. She folded her arms across her chest and surveyed the choices. Finally, after a few minutes, Lee picked out a black sports jacket, blue dress shirt, and a red and blue striped tie.  
  
"There you go. Auntie Lana told me that mommy always liked you in those colors."  
  
"And why exactly would I care what--"  
  
"Clark, I'm five, not dumb."  
  
"Lee! Lee, it's time to go!" Martha's voice called.  
  
"Coming! Have fun Clark," Lee said. With that, Lee was out there and Clark was left there alone.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()  
  
Chloe was standing on the second to the top rung of the ladder, stringing up the lights on the beams of the gymnasium. The streamers were hung, the food was all set on the tables close to the wall, and outside the lists of people and labels with pens were set on tables.  
  
Everything was set.  
  
She climbed down the ladder and stood back to examine her handiwork. For someone who had never been on the dance committee, the gym looked pretty good. Now, all she had to do was get ready for it.  
  
Chloe went into the girl's locker room and changed out of her grungy jeans and sweater. She slipped on a burgundy tank top that had thin straps and a matching button down cardigan. After that she put on a long black skirt that had a slit in the back so she could walk. She put on a pair of black heels and pulled her shoulder-length out of the clip. Running her fingers through it a few times, she left it down and did her make up. She put on pale gray eye shadow and frosty pink lipstick, foundation and black mascara. She went back to her things and stuffed them into a locker.  
  
She exited the locker room, only to run into Lana and Pete. She stepped back and looked at them. Lana's long hair was tied back away from her face and she wore a sky blue sweater and a long gray skirt with matching heels. Pete was dressed in a black suit with a white shirt and green tie. Both looked ecstatically happy and in love. They always looked that way, so much that it made Chloe's heart ache at times when they made her think of Jay.  
  
"What are you guys doing here? The reunion doesn't start for another hour," Chloe said, giving them short hugs.  
  
"Well, we wanted to come early to catch up on the old times," Pete said.  
  
"Is Clark coming?" Lana asked.  
  
"Oh, yeah, he should be."  
  
"Hey guys," Clark said from behind them.  
  
"Clark!" Lana squealed, flinging her arms around his neck. Clark reciprocated the hug for a second or two and then let go.  
  
"Hey, Clark, long time no see," Pete greeted him as they shook hands.  
  
"Since we still have about an hour since I have to be there, I would like for you all to join me in the Torch office. It's been a decade since we were all in there together," Chloe said.  
  
They followed her into the office and Clark was in awe. The wall that had once held everything about the weird happenings of Smallville now held everything that pertained to Superman, everything that pertained to him. There was even all of his articles from the college newspaper and some that had been written by Chloe.  
  
"It's really something, isn't it?" Pete said, coming up behind him.  
  
"Yeah, how did she?"  
  
"How did she get all the articles that you wrote in college?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Your parents. Didn't you ever find it weird when they always asked for you to send them two copies of your college newspaper?" Pete asked.  
  
"Yeah, but I thought that both of them wanted their own," Clark said, "and what happened to the Wall of Weird?"  
  
"It's folded in a shoebox under my bed. I came back here and for some reason, I just didn't feel like the Wall of Weird was my entire world. So, I took it down and started up a new wall," Chloe explained. "This one means a heck of a lot more to me than the other one did."  
  
"Thank you," Clark whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist.  
  
"No problem," she breathed. They stared longingly into each other's eyes, unspoken words drifting between them, until Pete cleared his throat. Chloe and Clark pulled apart reluctantly and sat down on chairs facing Lana and Pete.  
  
"Chloe, Lana and I have been meaning to ask you what Lee would think of having a little cousin to look after and play with," Pete stated, his hands wrapped around Lana's.  
  
"You're pregnant? Oh my god, why didn't you tell me? You have to come home with me to tell Lee tonight," Chloe squealed, jumping up and enveloping her best friends in a hug.  
  
"Congratulations, man," Clark said, shaking Pete's hand and then hugging Lana. He may have been smiling on the outside but inside he was crushed. Everyone he knew had a family but him. He did have one awhile back, but Lois had died and he was alone again. That aspect of his life hadn't quite changed in ten years. Sure, Chloe's fiancé had died before they were technically a family, but she had Lee, his parents and his friends to be her family now. He wished he could be part of that but he wasn't sure any of them were ready just yet.  
  
He was interrupted from his thoughts when he heard Chloe ask, "Does this mean you two have finally decided a date for the wedding?"  
  
"Yep, a month from today. I was wondering if you'd be my maid of honor and Lee would be the flower girl. I also need you to be the godmother of my child," Lana answered.  
  
"Of course I'll do it. I'm pretty sure Lee will do it too. She likes to have the feeling of being special," Chloe accepted.  
  
"Clark, are you going to be here next month?" Pete asked.  
  
"I should be."  
  
"Be my best man and godfather?"  
  
"I'd like that."  
  
Chloe checked the time and saw that she had five minutes to get to the gym. Quietly, as to not to disturb Lana and Pete's excited conversation about next month, she slipped out of the Torch office and towards the gym. Clark saw this and followed her out.  
  
"Chloe!" he called, his voice echoing slightly in the empty halls.  
  
She whirled around and faced him. "What?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing, just wondering why you didn't stay while they were planning the wedding," Clark shrugged.  
  
"I have to get everything in order for the reunion."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And, it's hard you know? Every time I hear that someone's getting married or planning on it, it hurts. It hurts so badly because that should be me getting married and I know it never will be," Chloe said, her emotions uncovered.  
  
"Come on, Chlo, you don't know that. One day some guy is just going sweep you off your feet and you'll be married within a year," Clark said, trying to soothe his friend.  
  
Chloe laughed bitterly. "Clark, I'm a single mother who teaches journalism in a little town where everyone's either married, engaged, dating, or not my age. Face it, my daughter will be married before I even meet the right guy," Chloe said.  
  
"Chloe--"  
  
"Clark, I used to dream that it was all a nightmare. That Jay had never really died and the police had just mistaken it for him when it was really some guy who looked like him. I used to dream that Jay would come home with flowers and a new notebook for me like he used to. I used to dream that we'd sit down to our favorite dinner and I'd tell him that we were going to have an addition to our family that we didn't count on having for a few years. Then I'd wake up while it was still dark in the coldest sweat I've ever had. Clark, when Jay died.when he died it was like the piece of my heart that believed in romance and true love had died and gotten buried along with him," Chloe said, blinking back tears.  
  
"You don't think I like felt that when Lois died too? I did and I still do. But that was just the piece of my heart that belonged to her. I have another piece of my heart that I'm ready to give to anyone who'll accept it. And I think I've found her. If only she'd let me in," Clark said.  
  
Chloe looked up at him with wide eyes. She shook her head and backed away from him towards the gym. "I'm sorry, I have to go," she said, turning and fleeing.  
  
Clark shook his head and just let her go. One day she'd be ready, just not the day that he had hoped. 


	14. 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN  
  
During the next week, Chloe distanced herself from Clark more than she had in high school. She was always grading papers or running errands or just locked away in her room. The only times that he saw her was at the dinner table when his parents forced her to eat something or when she was outside playing with Lee.  
  
It was so tiring being at a place with a woman that he had become attracted to when she didn't even want to acknowledge his presence. So, exactly one week after the reunion when he had let his feelings be known to her, Clark decided to see the one person in the entire world that she would confide to. Pete.  
  
Clark took his father's truck and drove to Pete's house. He parked behind Pete's car and walked up to the front door. Before he could raise his closed fist to knock, Pete opened the door.  
  
"Clark, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Pete greeted.  
  
"I think I said something to Chloe to make her mad at me," Clark said.  
  
"Come in and tell me all about it. I'll call Lana and tell her that I'm going to be an hour late for lunch," Pete said, opening the door a little wider. Pete went upstairs to make his phone call while Clark looked around.  
  
It was a small house, two maybe three bedrooms, but it was cozy. Off to the right side of the entryway was the living room and off to the left side were the stairs, a coat closet and a bathroom. Straight ahead was the kitchen and dining room and in the back was a screened in area that held the washing machine and dryer.  
  
Clark stepped into the living room and surveyed his surroundings. On the back wall was a fireplace. Off to one side were a couch and a beanbag chair beside it and on the other side were two recliners that had a coffee table situated between them. On the mantel stood six framed pictures. There was the one from high school of himself, Lana and Pete. There was one of just Pete and Lana from high school graduation. There were two pictures of Chloe, each one of her in a different cap and gown. There was one of Pete, Lana, his parents, and Chloe holding Lee. And the last one in the middle was of Lee as a baby, her eyes half closed and a small tuft of auburn hair on her head.  
  
It was the one with all of them in the same photo that captured his attention the most. He could tell they were in the hospital because Chloe was sitting on one of the beds with pillows holding her up. She was wearing a pink robe and Lee was in her arms. His mother and Lana sat on the bed on either side of her with Pete and his father behind them. All of them were smiling at the camera, but Clark could tell that Chloe was a bit weak.  
  
"She was beautiful that day, wasn't she," Pete stated from behind him, "and the courage that she showed really astounded us. She handled the whole ordeal without one complaint. Even though it was so hard on her, without Jay to be there to support her those nine months and through the delivery, she never once protested. The day that she had Lee, I was the one in the delivery room. I could tell in her eyes that she wished I was Jay, but she never once voiced what she was feeling. I'd never been more proud of my best friend then I was that day."  
  
Clark turned around to look at him and said softly, "I should have been there."  
  
Pete nodded. "Yes, you should have. But it's not like you knew that Chloe was giving birth. We all asked her if she wanted us to call you but she shook her head and told us that you had your own life to worry about," Pete said.  
  
"I would've come. No matter what was going on that day, I would have come here. She's part of my life," Clark said.  
  
"Clark, what were you doing on December 13? You were twenty-two, just got out of college five months earlier, just got the job at the Daily Planet and you were..." Pete trailed off.  
  
"I was getting my big break as a reporter."  
  
"And when Chloe heard that one of her good friends was about to become a star reporter, she decided that it was best if you didn't know."  
  
"I would have wanted to know."  
  
"I know but it's too late to look into the past. What's done is done," Pete said. "Now why don't you tell me what happened at the reunion when you ran after her."  
  
Clark collapsed onto the couch and Pete sat down across from him on one of the recliners. "I asked her why she ran out of the Torch office and she admitted that it was because she missed Jay and you guys reminded her of their engagement. Chloe went on to say that a piece of her heart had died along with him and I told her that I felt the same way when I lost Lois. Then, I just had to imply that I was ready to open up my heart again. To Chloe," Clark explained.  
  
Pete looked at him incredulously and it was a long time before he opened his mouth to speak once again. "I think that it may be time for you to go back to Metropolis. It's been about a month since you first came here and that was to escape whatever was happening to you in Metropolis. Clark, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I think that you're still thinking about Lois and now that Chloe's here, you want to push your feelings for Lois off on her. I'm pretty sure that Chloe feels the same way. You need to leave, Clark, just until the wedding. If any of the attraction towards Chloe is still there, then you'll know for sure that it's not just because you're still thinking about Lois. Chloe will know it too," Pete said.  
  
Clark had a pained expression on his face but very slowly he nodded his head in agreement. He stood up and walked silently out of the house. It was time to pack.  
  
()+()+()+()+()  
  
Meanwhile, Chloe was off on a questioning of her own. She had left Lee at home with Martha because she had to do this alone. She saw him standing there despondent as she parked her black SUV. She got out and crept up behind him, putting a hand on his black suit jacket covered shoulder. He turned and looked at her with a startled gaze.  
  
"Ms. Sullivan, I didn't think you would show," he said.  
  
"Well, I did call you Lex."  
  
"Yes, you did. But for what, may I ask?"  
  
"I want to know what you know."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Don't you dare take that haughty tone with me! You told me to ask him who he really is. Well, I can't ask him because I don't want to hear another lie come from his mouth. So since you know so much, you're going to be the one to tell me what you meant. Got it?" Chloe said sternly.  
  
"No, I don't have to tell you a thing."  
  
"You listen to me Luthor, I'm the last one in your life from the old days who's still talking to you and I'm also the last one who will actually tell you the truth and not just what you want to hear. So, you either tell me what you know or I will turn my back on you like everyone else. Is that clear?" Chloe threatened.  
  
Lex took a deep breath in and sighed. "Crystal. Clark Kent isn't like you and me," he started and then stopped.  
  
"Oh, so he's not a snake in the grass or a single mother?"  
  
"Let me finish. Clark Kent isn't human. He's an alien. He came in the meteor shower in a spaceship," Lex said.  
  
"And here I thought aliens were little and green."  
  
"Chloe, you're not listening to me! Clark is Superman. Superman is Clark."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Listen, I wanted you to know since you two are becoming close once again. I didn't want you to be in danger. Like you said before, you are the last one in my life from the old days and I don't want to mess that up," Lex said.  
  
Chloe turned to him abruptly. "Wait a second, were you truly worried or were you just looking for a person to spy on him?"  
  
"I was worried. Knowing Clark is a dangerous thing, especially when you're the only one who doesn't know what his life is really like."  
  
"What do you mean? Lex, does everyone know but me?" Chloe questioned, her eyes blazing into his. Lex forced himself to look away and swallowed hard. "Lex Luthor, answer me this instant."  
  
Lex nodded slightly and whispered, "I'm sorry Chloe."  
  
"What about that deal? Did that have to deal with his powers and you wanting to use it to your own advantage?"  
  
"Yes, at the time I thought that I could use Clark to get everything my way. I guess I turned out to be my father no matter how much I tried to fight it," Lex said.  
  
"Lex, you may be partly evil but you aren't as evil as your father was when he was still alive. You've been looking after Lee and me; I know it. So, you can't be all bad. But, I can't let you do it anymore and I don't think that I want to see you anymore. Not because of what you told me, but because you didn't tell me before and I don't know whether I can trust you or not. I hope you understand where I'm coming from," Chloe explicated.  
  
"I do, Chloe, I do. Have a good life and take care of that little girl. She's going to be special one of these days; I just know it. Good-bye."  
  
Chloe kissed him softly on the cheek. As she pulled away, Lex slipped something into her hand. She looked down to see a piece of white paper. Clark's address. She trudged back to the SUV, got in and buckled her seatbelt before driving away.  
  
It was time to confront Superman.  
  
()+()+()+()+()  
  
She parked in front of the house and got out. Angrily slamming her door, she stomped into the house. Martha came out of the kitchen and gaped at her.  
  
"Where's Clark?" Chloe demanded, her tone steady and filled with disdain.  
  
"I'm sorry, Chloe, he just left to go back to Metropolis," Martha answered.  
  
"Mommy, what's going on?" Lee asked, coming in the front door.  
  
"Lee, get your overnight bag and get in the car. We're going on a little road trip to visit Clark."  
  
Lee looked confused but complied anyway. She glanced at the adults one more time and then ran up the stairs to her room. Jonathan came from the kitchen and joined the two women.  
  
"What's going on?" he asked them.  
  
"Why did you keep it all from me?" Chloe asked.  
  
"What, honey?" Martha asked.  
  
"Everything! Who Clark really is, where he's really from! You told everyone but Lee and me. And we've been living here for over a year. Don't you two think that we had a right to know?" Chloe demanded.  
  
Martha and Jonathan looked at each other. Finally, Jonathan answered, "Yes, I know, it wasn't fair to you or Lee. But how did you find out anyway?"  
  
"Lex told me."  
  
"You've been associating with Lex Luthor?" Jonathan asked in astonishment.  
  
"Yes, I have."  
  
"For how long?" Martha asked.  
  
"Since my father died. Did you really think that selling that house would cover all his debts? I was able to pay off sixty-five percent of them but Lex covered the rest."  
  
"Why?" they both asked.  
  
"Because, Lex has no other friends and no family. He need my companionship and I needed help."  
  
"You could've come to us," Jonathan said.  
  
"I could've but you have already done so much for Lee and me. I didn't want to put you in debt too. Not to worry, though. I put an end to our friendship today," Chloe said.  
  
"Chloe, why did he tell you?" Martha inquired.  
  
"He was worried for my well-being. He wanted me to know what I would be getting myself into if I got involved with him."  
  
"Mommy, I'm ready."  
  
Chloe nodded and followed Lee out to the car. She got in the driver seat and Lee got into the back seat with her overnight case and a book.  
  
()+()+()+()+()  
  
When Chloe finally reached the city limits, it was already ten at night. Lee was curled up in the back, her auburn tendrils falling against her china doll face. Chloe glanced at the paper lying on the passenger seat. She turned down a few streets until she saw Clark's place of residence. She parked beside the curb across the street and turned off the ignition.  
  
Chloe got out and opened the back door. Carefully, Chloe unbuckled her seat belt and scooped up her daughter into her arms. She pocketed the car keys, locked the doors and headed for his darkened apartment.  
  
Clark awoke to banging on his front door. Throwing on a t-shirt over his boxers, he stumbled tiredly to answer the door.  
  
"Chloe?" Clark answered in surprise. He ushered her in and shut the door behind her. "Chloe, what are you doing here?"  
  
"First, where do I put Lee before we even begin?"  
  
"Guest bedroom. First door down the hall."  
  
Moments later, Chloe returned without Lee. Clark offered her a seat beside him on the sofa but she refused by just standing there.  
  
"It's time we get a few things straight Clark. I want to know how long you've had your powers, where you're from and why you never told me."  
  
"I don't have powers."  
  
"Cut the crap Clark. I've spoken to both your parents and Lex."  
  
"Lex?"  
  
"Get over it. Now answer my questions."  
  
Clark sighed. "I've had them since I was a child. I'm from a planet called Krypton and I never told you because I was worried that you would put me on your wall."  
  
"A valid worry in high school but not now. Why, Clark?"  
  
"I didn't want you to think I was a freak and have any chance that I have with you be ruined!" Clark yelled.  
  
"Really? Well, goodness gracious Clark. Since I found out about you from everyone but you, you have every chance in the world with me," Chloe said in a fake high tone, clasping her hands together.  
  
"I knew you'd act like this," Clark said, standing up.  
  
"And how exactly am I supposed to act?"  
  
"Any way but the way you're acting now!"  
  
"Well, I'm sorry, Clark, but that's not how I work. You don't just hide something from a girl for fifteen years and then act like everything is somehow going to be magically all right. It doesn't work like that!" Chloe shouted.  
  
"And here I thought the girl that I am in love with would respond just a little better than this!"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, Clark. Did you expect for me to respond gracefully like dear Lois? I'm sorry, but I can't. You told her after what, a year? And not only did I have to wait fifteen years but I had to hear it from your enemy! Do you know how that makes a person feel?"  
  
"Like someone punched you in the gut! Or how about when you find out that your best friend had a baby without you there? Do you know how that makes a person feel?"  
  
"I had my reasons, Clark!"  
  
"So did I!"  
  
They stood there, staring at each other, both breathing heavily. Neither one wanted to back down from their stance. Chloe was the first to look down.  
  
"I'm going to lay down with Lee. Don't worry, we'll be out of here before you wake up."  
  
As he watched her retreating form, Clark knew that he had put another wedge in their gap of a friendship. 


	15. 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN  
  
Lee awoke to the sounds of her mother and Clark screaming at each other. She couldn't understand what they were saying so she tried to sound them out be covering her ears with her hands.  
  
She saw door open and her mother come in. The moonlight reflected across her mother's face and Lee saw tears that had made their marks on her mother's face. Lee scooted over to where she was touching the wall to make room for her. As her mother laid there, her shoulders shaking with gentle crying, Lee sat up and rubbed her mother's hair soothingly. Then, Lee lie back down and wrapped her arms around her mother.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Clark heard her. He sat against the wall near the door and listened to her sobs. He knew that he had caused them unintentionally. But whether it was intentional or not, it was still his fault.  
  
About two-thirty in the morning, the sobbing stopped and a shuffling towards the door could be heard. Clark was about to get up, thinking it was Chloe, but relaxed when he saw Lee instead.  
  
"Hey Lee."  
  
"Clark."  
  
"How is she?"  
  
"Sad. She's asleep but she cried. You made her cry," Lee said accusingly.  
  
"I know," Clark said, sadly, "I know."  
  
"I heard the yelling," Lee said, sitting beside him.  
  
"You did? We didn't mean for you to--"  
  
"I know, Clark. Clark, why were you and mommy yelling?"  
  
"I kept a secret from your mother for too long and she found out about it from someone else," Clark said.  
  
"What was it?"  
  
"I don't know if I should tell you. It's up to your mother."  
  
"Mommy won't mind. She'll tell me if you don't," Lee said.  
  
"You know about Superman, right?"  
  
"Of course, Uncle Pete talks about him all the time," Lee said, nodding eagerly.  
  
"Well, I'm him."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Cool!" Lee exclaimed, and then she frowned. "Wait, why didn't you tell mommy?"  
  
"I was scared."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I...I don't know."  
  
"That's the first truthful thing that I've heard you say in a long time," Chloe commented, leaning against the doorframe.  
  
"Mommy!" Lee cried, jumping up and wrapping her arms around her mother. "You okay, mommy?"  
  
"Yeah, honey, I'm okay," replied Chloe, reciprocating the hug and looking at Clark over her daughter's head. "What have you been discussing with my little girl?" Chloe demanded.  
  
"My secret."  
  
"Good, she had a right to know. Lee, honey, go get some sleep now. Clark and I need to have some adult time," Chloe ordered.  
  
"But mommy, I want to listen," Lee pouted.  
  
Chloe smiled. "But Lee, you know you're too young," Chloe answered in the same whiny tone.  
  
"Oh, come on, Chloe. Let the girl listen," said Clark from the floor.  
  
Lee beamed at him and Chloe looked between the two of them. It amazed her how soon her daughter had begun to trust Clark. Only a month of knowing who he was and she already thought of him as a god. She wasn't even this outgoing with Pete when she first met him and he was her godfather.  
  
"Okay, okay, I get it. Two against one, unfair odds, majority rules. But one day, little Miss Sullivan, Clark won't be here to defend your honor and you'll have to listen to your poor old mother," Chloe mock threatened.  
  
"Mommy, you're not old."  
  
"Sure I am."  
  
"Believe me, Lee, she really is."  
  
"Hey! You know what? That kind of back talking is reason enough to have a kitchen raid," Chloe said, "Lee, let's go act like we're at Pete's house."  
  
Clark laughed as he watched the two of them run to the kitchen, giggling like idiots. Oh how the times had changed. In high school, Chloe had never once acted like she did now. But then again, in high school Chloe never had a reason to.  
  
"Clark Kent, how can the only thing you own for food be frozen pizza, coffee and.ew, a month old casserole that's moldy?" Chloe called from the kitchen.  
  
Clark smiled and stood. He walked to the kitchen and observed the sight. Lee was sitting on one of the counters, her legs dangling off the edge, and Chloe still had her head stuck in the refrigerator.  
  
"What can I say, Chlo? I'm a single man who can't cook, what does that tell you?" Clark replied.  
  
"Not a lot. Clark, all you have to do is read the instructions on the package. How hard is that?" Chloe commented.  
  
"Don't blame me. I never cooked when I was younger. Maybe if I had--"  
  
"Clark, don't even try that excuse."  
  
Clark sighed and asked, "Would it help if I went to the corner grocery store in the morning?"  
  
"Actually, Lee and I are leaving in a couple hours. I have to get back to grading the rest of the finals so I can get the journalism grades done for report cards," Chloe said.  
  
"Well, can't you do them here?"  
  
"No, sorry. I didn't bring my laptop that has the grading program on it."  
  
"Oh, well maybe Lee could stay here while your doing grades in Smallville and I'll bring her back with me when I come to Smallville for the wedding," Clark suggested.  
  
"Please, mommy, can I?" Lee asked eagerly.  
  
Chloe was hesitant. A whole month without Lee for the first time ever? Could she let that happen? But the face on her little girl, that eager bright-eyed gaze, told her that she could.  
  
She sighed and said, "Clark, you better take good care of my little girl. That means, in bed by nine, no junk food after eight, and no leaving her by herself or with some old girlfriend that you just happen to run into."  
  
"Really mommy?" Lee asked, her hazel eyes shining.  
  
"Yes, Lee, you can stay. As long as you agree to listen to everything Clark says," Chloe said.  
  
"Yes! Clark, we're going to have so much fun!" Lee said, taking Clark by the hand and pulling him over to the living room couch. Clark gave Chloe a look and Chloe just shrugged her shoulders. She knew that her daughter was going to torture him the month she stayed and she was going to enjoy every phone call that would begin with the words, 'Chloe, your daughter is driving me crazy.'  
  
When she left later that morning, she could already hear Clark sighing. 


	16. 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN  
  
The phone rang around four o'clock that afternoon. Martha answered it and was barely able to get the receiver to her ear before she heard her son yell, "Chloe! Your daughter is driving me crazy!"  
  
"Clark?" Martha answered, smiling to herself.  
  
"Mom? Hey, is Chloe there?"  
  
"Not at the moment. She had to run an errand at the high school. Is there something I can help you with?" Martha replied.  
  
"Maybe. How do you get Lee to eat vegetables?" Clark asked, his voice frantic.  
  
"What kind of vegetables?"  
  
"Peas."  
  
"You're trying to get Lee to eat peas?" Martha exclaimed. "Clark, Lee hates peas. She calls them 'shriveled up balls that taste like feet.'"  
  
"Chloe could have told me that before she left. What else does Lee hate?"  
  
"Liver, Brussels sprouts, onions, peppers, lima beans, and raisins. Oh, and she's allergic to strawberries and peanuts," Martha listed.  
  
"Thanks. Is Chloe back yet?" Clark asked, his voice full of hope.  
  
"No, sorry Clark," Martha sighed.  
  
"Oh, well tell her I called. I got to get back to dinner with Lee."  
  
"Okay, bye Clark," Martha said, hanging up the phone. She went back to the living room and sat by Jonathan. She cuddled up to him on the couch.  
  
"What was that about?"  
  
"Clark was trying to get Lee to eat peas."  
  
Jonathan laughed. "I remember when I tried to do that. You and Chloe were having a girls' day with Lana and Pete and I were stuck here making dinner. I remember laughing at Pete when he told me that she threw the plate on the floor. When I tried to feed her a new plate, she picked up the peas off the plate and threw them at my head," Jonathan said.  
  
"Yeah, then you gave her ice cream as a bribe to not tell us anything about that," Martha said, chuckling.  
  
"How did you know about that?"  
  
"She was four, hon. She didn't know what a bribe was."  
  
The couple sat there in their own little bubble, laughing at the memory of that afternoon.  
  
+-+-+-+-+-+  
  
"Lee, come on, let's go out to dinner," Clark said after he hung up with his mom.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I just found out that you don't eat anything I cooked tonight."  
  
"Well, duh."  
  
"Just throw the food into the garbage can under the sink and I'll get your jacket. We'll also do a little shopping so you have something to wear while you're here," Clark said.  
  
Lee came into the kitchen with her plate and dumped the contents into the trash bin. She put the plate and silverware on the counter and turned to look at Clark who came in from the coat closet. "Clark, do you even know how to shop?" she asked pointedly.  
  
"Of course I do," Clark said.  
  
"For a girl?"  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact I do. It's quite simple actually. I just stand back and let you pick out whatever you want," Clark said. Lee shook her head. "What? That isn't what I do?"  
  
"Nope. You have to get what I need and what mommy wants me to wear," Lee informed him.  
  
"Fine, put this on and we'll go," Clark said, holding out Lee's denim jacket.  
  
"You know, you should have Uncle Pete help. He takes me shopping all the time," Lee said as they left the apartment.  
  
That got Clark's full attention as he grabbed Lee's hand. "Why does Pete take you shopping all the time?" Clark asked.  
  
"Not all the time. Just when mommy's busy."  
  
"How often is your mommy busy?"  
  
Lee shrugged. "I don't know."  
  
Clark and Lee walked in silence down the block towards the only children's clothing store that Clark knew of. He wondered where Chloe went all the times she couldn't be there for her daughter. Was she off dating or was she off working? And if she was off working, what she could be doing that was so vital to the teaching profession?  
  
Lee must have read his mind because she said, "Mommy doesn't work all that much, but she dates because Auntie Lana and Uncle Pete make her go on binder dates."  
  
Clark chuckled. "I think you mean blind dates," he corrected.  
  
"That's what I said."  
  
"So, your mommy has a lot of boyfriends?" Clark asked. God, fishing for answers about Chloe's love life from her daughter. How low will I go? Clark thought.  
  
Lee shook her head. "No, I said dates. I don't get to meet them. Mommy said that the special one that she keeps, I get to meet," Lee announced. Lee ran ahead of him into the kids' clothing store.  
  
As Clark followed her, only one question stood in his mind. Will he ever have the same chance with Chloe that those other men did?  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
Meanwhile, Chloe was just finishing the final grades for her last period journalism class. As she hit the send button on the computer to deliver them to the administration office, she heard a knock. With a frustrated sigh, Chloe stood and answered the door. The frustrated sigh turned into one of pure shock as she saw who was standing there.  
  
"Lex? I thought I told you that our business together was over," Chloe said, her arms crossed in front of her chest.  
  
"That may be, Chloe, but I'm not ready to discontinue the last steady relationship that I have," Lex said with an air of defiance.  
  
Chloe let out a very unladylike snort. " 'Steady relationship?' Is that what you call our friendship? Lex, it is nothing of the sort. Not anymore anyway," Chloe told him.  
  
"Why, because holier-than-thou Clark Kent decided to stop in his quaint hometown on the way to another destination of his life? Is that why, Chloe? Is it also because even though you grew up you never matured out of your infatuation with him? I desired more from you, Chloe! I expected more!" Lex yelled.  
  
"Isn't that just rich? Lex Luthor desired more from me than what I truly am. I know I still have a girlhood crush on him that should have ended years ago! I'm not a total idiot! I didn't expect you to understand, Lex, I just expected you to accept it and move on!" Chloe screamed back.  
  
"What did he ever do for you, Chloe? For Lee? I was there for both of you! I gave you support and hid our relationship from the rest of the world because you wished it so!" Lex roared.  
  
"Yes, I did wish it. Only because you were ruining the lives of the people I care about! And so freaking what if Clark didn't do anything for Lee or me? He didn't even know about us!" Chloe shouted.  
  
"So, when he left, did you go see him? Did you run after him like the girl you used to be would?" Lex asked.  
  
"As a matter of fact I did. And even so, it's none of your business. Your acting like a jealous ex-boyfriend when you aren't!"  
  
"I just care about you Chloe!"  
  
"With no reason! I thank you Lex for what you did for us, but just get out of my life now! There's no room for you anymore. It's time for you to get your own life and stop living vicariously through mine!" Chloe cried out sternly.  
  
Lex came up real close to her and leaned down next to her ear. He whispered so closely to her ear that it felt like feathers being brushed against it, "Tell me that you love me or at least used to. That's all I need to know and then I'll leave."  
  
Chloe looked up into his face with teary hazel eyes and said softly, "Once upon a time Lex, but that time has come and gone and we have to let go for everyone's sakes."  
  
Lex nodded and turned. Chloe watched lifelessly as the expensive black jacket and bald head disappeared. She let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding in when she heard his sports' car start up and drive away.  
  
The last thing heard in the wind was Lex whispering, "Once upon a time." 


	17. 17

A/N: For the next couple of chapters, the focus will be on Clark and Lee. However, I like to give the other side of the story, so other characters will be featured.  
  
:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:  
  
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN  
  
The next morning, Lee dressed in a pair of jeans shorts, a t-shirt and a sweatshirt that Clark had bought her the day before. She put on her sneakers and headed out of her bedroom. She heard Clark talking on the phone.  
  
"Yeah, we went shopping last night. You didn't pack her any clothes for the month." Pause. "Yeah, I know it was spur of the moment." Pause. "No, you don't have to pay me back. I was happy to do her the favor." Pause. "Yeah, I still got to work." Pause. "No, Lee's coming with me. I think that it'd be good for her." Pause. "Right, three weeks. Bye." Clark hung up the phone.  
  
Clark turned to see Lee standing there. "Was that mommy?" Lee asked.  
  
"Yeah, it was. I thought that you were still sleeping. What do you want for breakfast?" Clark replied.  
  
"Are you cooking?" Lee asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then, water please."  
  
Clark chuckled. "Okay, I get the picture. We'll grab something on the way to work."  
  
"Work?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm taking you to work with me."  
  
"Mommy never takes me to work with her."  
  
"Well, there's no one else for you to stay with so you have no choice but to come with me. Don't you want to come with me?" Clark said.  
  
"I guess."  
  
Clark put on his suit jacket and grabbed his briefcase from the counter. He held out his free hand to Lee and she took it. Clark led her out the door, letting Lee grab the keys off of the stand and lock the door behind them.  
  
Clark and Lee made their way through the busy streets of Metropolis. Lee gripped Clark's hand tightly, afraid of the larger people hustling around her. Clark squeezed her hand to let her know that he was still with her. Clark and Lee finally stopped in front of the doors of The Daily Planet.  
  
Lee's face lit up with the awe that only an innocent child could possess. "This is where you work?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.  
  
"Yeah, come on."  
  
Lee ran in front of Clark, pulling him along with her. They made it through the clusters of people with no problem until they got to Clark's desk. Perry White was waiting there for him.  
  
"Kent, when I told you to leave and get your head together for awhile, I didn't mean get a kid. Who is she anyway?" Perry said, his stance full of demands.  
  
"Remember that old friend I told you about? Well, she was in Smallville- living there actually-and I told her that I would take care of her daughter," Clark answered.  
  
"Really? Listen, Kent, I don't care if you promised the Virgin Mother, this is no place for a four-year-old kid," Perry said. Lee pulled on Perry's hand and when he looked down, she waved her hand at him for him to come closer. "What is it?"  
  
"I'm five almost six and I'll be good if I stay," Lee whispered.  
  
"You will?"  
  
"Hm-m. I don't cause that much trouble and I'm small so no one will see me," Lee whispered again.  
  
Perry straightened and looked at Clark. "Get Jimmy to watch her. If he won't, she goes home," Perry ordered, obviously softened by Lee's words.  
  
Clark looked down at Lee's grinning face and asked, "How exactly do you do that?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Make people change their minds so easily."  
  
"Magic," was her simple reply.  
  
"Magic," Clark repeated under his breath.  
  
"Hey, who's the kid?" Jimmy asked, a stack of papers in his arms.  
  
"Your new baby-sitting job," Clark announced.  
  
"My what?"  
  
"Jimmy, this is Lee. She's the daughter of an old friend who's staying with me for the month. You get to watch her," Clark introduced him.  
  
"I got to work. I can't be looking after a kid while I'm running all over the office," Jimmy said.  
  
Lee stuck her lip out and put the puppy dogface on. "Oh, please Mr. Jimmy sir. I don't want to go home and I'll have to if you can't watch me," Lee said, giving him a guilt trip.  
  
Clark saw exactly what Lee was doing-she was Chloe's daughter after all-and joined in by saying, "Yeah, Jimmy, you don't want me to have to send the girl back to Smallville. Not after I had to beg her mother to let her stay."  
  
Jimmy sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll watch her. But only because she's a cute kid."  
  
Lee squealed in delight and followed Jimmy away. Clark chuckled as he sat down. He did not worry; he knew that the two of them were to become fast friends.  
  
That little girl is something, Clark thought, I swear I see her mother every time I look at her face and hear her voice. I wonder what she inherited from her father, besides the auburn hair of course.  
  
:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:  
  
The telephone at the edge of her desk in her classroom in Smallville High School blared loudly, knocking Chloe out of her reverie. "Hello," Chloe answered half-heartedly.  
  
"Chloe," replied the icy tone of one Amelia Quinton.  
  
"Why, Amelia, how very nice of you to call. Is this a social call or a chance to criticize some other aspect of my wretched life," Chloe said with mock sweetness.  
  
"Do not take that tone with me young lady. I refuse to be talked down to by a gold digger like you," Amelia told her, disdain evident in her voice.  
  
"I'm sorry, did you forget to take your hormones with your coffee this morning? Or did you find out that they cancelled another fundraiser and the thousand dollar dress in your closet will only be seen by the gardener?" Chloe snapped.  
  
"I would like to speak to my granddaughter."  
  
"I'm sorry, who?"  
  
"My granddaughter."  
  
"Looking for a name. Like, the one I'd call you would be Icy Bi-"  
  
"Leona! I am looking for Leona, which you very well knew," Amelia said sternly.  
  
"She's not here, Amelia, because this is my classroom line. And for your information, Lee is staying with a friend for the time being," Chloe replied.  
  
"Not that man that you had in your house with you. Are you sleeping with him?" Amelia demanded.  
  
"Yes, that man. And what kind of sleeping are you talking about? The fully clothed, sweet dreams kind, or the totally nude, wake-your-neighbors- up kind? Because I could go either way," Chloe answered, trying her best not to laugh.  
  
"That is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard in my life. How dare you do that to my son!" Amelia exclaimed.  
  
"Hey, you asked. Didn't you get the memo that said my personal life is just that? If you didn't, here it is. I will choose to sleep or not sleep with whomever I want, whenever I want and it will remain none of your business! So, I was with your son. News flash, Mrs. Quinton, Jay has been dead for six years and I'm not going to become a nun just because I was with him! If you have a problem with the way I'm leading my life and raising my daughter, you can stick your head up your rear as far as it will go because I don't give a crap what you think! If you have a problem with that, seek counseling!" Chloe screamed, slamming the phone down.  
  
She had a feeling that nobody in Smallville would ever hear from Amelia Quinton again. 


	18. 18

The next evening, Jimmy was at Clark's apartment watching Lee. Clark had to meet one of his sources so the task of taking care of the girl was left up to Jimmy. Jimmy didn't mind the job though, he had taken an instant liking to the little girl after finding out that she too had a love for photography. At first it had surprised him, but after a few hours spent with her, nothing seemed so surprising after all.  
  
Jimmy was in the kitchen cleaning up the mess they had made. Jimmy, not knowing what little girls ate, decided on ordering a large pepperoni pizza. Lee not only ate the two pieces that Jimmy had given her but she had also finished three more and still had room for a sundae with extra hot fudge and whipped cream. Jimmy was shocked to see her put so much away in her stomach and when he asked about it, Lee shrugged and commented on how her mommy could do the same thing. Jimmy laughed and now Lee was watching cartoons while he did the dishes.  
  
The shrill ring of the phone made Jimmy almost drop the plate that he'd been drying. He dried his hands on the nearest dishtowel and answered the cordless phone. "Hello, Kent residence, Jimmy speaking," he said.  
  
"Where's Clark?" a female voice demanded.  
  
"Out doing a story. Who is this?"  
  
"Chloe Sullivan. Do you, by any chance, know when Clark is going to be home?" Chloe asked, her voice a bit less harsh than before.  
  
"No, is there something I can help you with?" Jimmy replied.  
  
"Not unless you can help me kill Clark. I specifically told him not to leave Lee with anyone I didn't know and what does he do? He leaves my daughter, my own flesh and blood with you. I mean, I'm sure your nice and all but you happen to be a complete stranger to me. God, I can't believe I trusted him," Chloe babbled.  
  
"Excuse me, I hate to interrupt your rant, but are you Lee's mother?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Hey, I'm Jimmy, your daughter's baby-sitter. Lee's a great little girl, really fun to be around. You must be heck of a mother to have such a wonderful little girl. You know, she talks about you all the time. But, I am curious about one thing. Where's Lee's father?" Jimmy said.  
  
"Fifteen feet deep in a cemetery in Boston."  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"  
  
"Don't worry about it."  
  
"What was his name?"  
  
"Jay P. Quinton."  
  
"The heir who died in that motorcycle accident. Wait, you're that Chloe Sullivan? The one who was to marry that guy?" Jimmy asked, totally shocked to the core.  
  
"Yeah, I'm that Chloe Sullivan. How did you know?" she answered.  
  
"Are you kidding? Did you know that your wedding was the event of the year in the entire country? God, all you needed to do was go outside your house and you could hear people whispering about it. That was all my parents would talk about at the dinner table when I would visit them. You guys were like the crowned prince and princess of this country. I mean, next to the Luthor fortune, the Quinton fortune is the largest there is," Jimmy exclaimed.  
  
"Well, I guess it goes to someone else now."  
  
"Wait a second, you don't get it? But you were engaged to the guy," Jimmy said.  
  
"His mother didn't really approve of the marriage. I went to her house for Christmas dinner the year before Jay died and after a few rounds of eggnog, she called me a 'money-grubbing, gold-digging tramp' and I'm just using the PG version of the sentence. Lovely in-laws-to-be I had, huh?" Chloe confessed.  
  
"I'm sorry. You know, for two people who have just met over the phone for the first time, we sure are telling each other a lot," Jimmy said.  
  
"Actually, I'm the one who is telling a lot. You have yet to tell me anything about yourself," Chloe replied.  
  
"Well, I work at the Daily Planet with Clark. I got roped into watching Lee just yesterday. I've never been married because I haven't found that right girl yet. I don't smoke, I rarely drink, and I've only tried weed once because a bud from college dared me to and it was the last time because I spent the rest of the night puking my guts out in the toilet. Anything else you want to know?" Jimmy told her.  
  
"Yeah, did you know Lois?"  
  
"Clark's lovely wife? Yeah, I knew her. She worked at the Planet and was Clark's partner in marriage and in reporting. It was a shame when she died," Jimmy answered.  
  
"Yeah, don't I know it? Want to know a little known fact?" Chloe asked.  
  
"Love to."  
  
"Lois was my cousin."  
  
"You're kidding. She never talked about you. Does Clark know that you two were related?"  
  
"Probably not. See, Lois and I were never really that close. We probably had maybe three conversations the entire time she was alive. I didn't even go to the wedding or the funeral," Chloe said.  
  
"Unbelievable. Well, I'm going to go now."  
  
"It was nice talking to you. Oh, and make my daughter go to bed in like an hour. She's not supposed to be up past nine or she has nightmares and wakes you up for a story," Chloe said.  
  
"Will do."  
  
The two hung up the phone. Jimmy could see where Lee got her personality; it was pretty clear from the conversation that Jimmy had shared with her mother. He could also see why Clark would be so attached to that family. Jimmy sighed and went into the living room where he joined Lee in watching a rerun of an episode of Winnie the Pooh.  
  
:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:  
  
Clark arrived home close to midnight. Jimmy was asleep on the couch with the television still on. Clark came in and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. Jimmy awoke with a startled expression on his face. He visibly relaxed when he saw Clark.  
  
"Hey, buddy, it's getting late. I think you better stay on the couch tonight," Clark said.  
  
"Yeah, sure, but I think there's something we need to discuss before I forget. Don't get mad when I ask this but, does Chloe ever remind you of someone you used to know?" Jimmy questioned.  
  
"No, why, should she?"  
  
"What I am trying to get at is, does Chloe ever remind you of Lois?"  
  
"Of course not. Why are you asking me this?"  
  
"Then at least tell me you knew Chloe and Lois were cousins."  
  
"No they weren't. Where are you getting this information from anyway?"  
  
"Straight from the horse's mouth herself, or however that saying goes."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Chloe called here tonight looking for you. We got to talking and she confessed to me about being Lois's cousin. She also said that you probably didn't know since they weren't that close to begin with. I guess she was right," Jimmy explained.  
  
"I can't believe this. You mean I'm falling in love with a member of the same family?" Clark asked, his head in his hands.  
  
"Yeah, but it's not as bad as it sounds. It's not like you ever fell out of love with Chloe, you just took a break for awhile," Jimmy reassured him.  
  
"Did you know that in high school I never told her how I felt? Either I didn't have the nerve to or I was too hung up on some other girl and by the time I was finally ready to tell her, Chloe had to leave," Clark said, lifting his head to look at Jimmy.  
  
"So, you were the emotional coward of the town."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Emotional coward. It's a name that my mother used to give people who couldn't admit their feelings to someone."  
  
"I guess that sums me up quite nicely. I guess I'll see you tomorrow Jimmy. Thanks for watching Lee tonight," Clark said.  
  
"Anytime Clark."  
  
Jimmy got up and went over to the door. With one last look at Clark, Jimmy slipped out of the apartment.  
  
:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:  
  
"Chloe, your date is here!" Martha called from the front door.  
  
Chloe looked at Jonathan who was finishing up dinner and asked, "Do you think she'll mind if I slipped out the back door and totally skipped this week's blind date?"  
  
Jonathan chuckled. "I don't think Martha will mind but Pete and Lana will hunt you down for missing another date."  
  
"I wish they wouldn't set me up so much."  
  
"Chloe, they worry about you. Everything was going so well with Clark and then he disappeared. They just want to fix the slump you've been in," Jonathan said, trying to calm the girl he had come to known as a daughter.  
  
"Things would have been so much easier if Clark had stayed. When he was here, they didn't fix me up because they didn't want Clark to interrogate the poor guy and scare him off," Chloe pointed out.  
  
"Would it help if I interrogated this new guy like my son would?"  
  
"No, they'd just try for next week," Chloe sighed. "Besides a six-foot- four man who appears to be my ex-boyfriend is more menacing than a father figure."  
  
"Chloe, you don't want to keep your date waiting!" Martha called again.  
  
"If she only knew how much I did. Maybe if he waits long enough, he'll leave," Chloe mumbled.  
  
"Cheer up Chloe. If you want, I'll call you in the middle of your date with some farm emergency," Jonathan offered.  
  
"Really? That would be great. Thanks, Jonathan," Chloe exclaimed, bending down to kiss him on the cheek. "How do I look, by the way?"  
  
She poised to model her red turtleneck sweater, black skirt that ended just below her knees and black lace-up boots. Her hair was down and she wore minimal makeup.  
  
"You look beautiful Chloe."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Martha came into the kitchen. "Come on, Chloe, you're being rude. Get out here," Martha ordered, taking poor Chloe's hand and practically dragging her into the living room. Chloe barely had the time to grab her purse and jacket as her date and her were pushed out the door. "Good-bye Chloe. Have a nice time but don't stay out too late," Martha said before closing the front door.  
  
Chloe looked at her date and smiled awkwardly. She had to admit that he was a nice looking gentleman, in a pair of black trousers with a black well- fitting crew-neck sweater. He was tall, about six-foot-one, with a deep Mediterranean tan and aristocratic features. His jet-black hair was cut short and styled slightly spiky in the front and his chocolate eyes were locked on her hazel ones.  
  
Her date took her by the elbow and led her to his car, a black Jaguar with tinted windows and black leather interior. He opened the door, waited for her to be in all the way, then closed the door before returning to his own side. Chloe looked at him with raised eyebrows as he started the car and drove out of the Kent driveway.  
  
I guess chivalry isn't dead yet, she thought as they drove past the fields and into town. "I'm sorry, but I haven't caught your name just yet," Chloe said.  
  
"Probably because I haven't told you. My name is Nicholas Wetherington and yours, I believe, is Chloe Sullivan. Am I correct?" he introduced himself in a very deep masculine voice.  
  
"Yes. Where do you know Pete and Lana from?"  
  
"I met Lana in one of my business classes. I was just passing through town and I was going to spend the night at their house but she suggested a blind date," Nicholas said.  
  
"I bet she did," Chloe muttered. Then in a louder voice, "So, what do you do Nicholas?"  
  
"Please, call me Nick. I am an investment banker based in New York. How about you?" he replied.  
  
"I am a journalism teacher at the local high school and I-"  
  
"That's great. I took a semester in college before I realized that journalism just wasn't for me and that I was best suited doing my father's work. I just wasn't into the whole getting into people's privacy thing," Nicholas said.  
  
"That's not all journalism is. Maybe you were just-"  
  
"We're here," Nicholas announced as he parked outside the Talon. "I hope you don't mind but Smallville doesn't have much in the way of dating places."  
  
"We do pretty well here."  
  
"I bet you do."  
  
As he led her into the doors of the Talon and to a small table near the back, Chloe could not help but think of how long the evening was going to be.  
  
As they drank their cappuccinos, Chloe tuned out the sound of Nicholas's voice. When they first sat down, Nicholas started talking about how great the city of New York happened to be. He paused only when the waitress came over to give his and Chloe's orders. He resumed speaking, moving onto the topic of how grueling his sixteen-hour-a-day job was. Chloe just nodded her head and made the appropriate noises at the appropriate times, praying that she would not fall asleep and not knowing what topic he was on at the time. She must have appeared interested because he never did stop talking unless he had to take a sip of coffee.  
  
When the waitress came back to retrieve their cups and see if they wanted to order anything else, Chloe said, "Excuse me Nick, but I have to use the ladies' room. Please order me whatever you're having."  
  
"Okay, Chloe, hurry back please."  
  
"Don't bet on it," she muttered as she hurried to the bathroom. Once inside, Chloe realized that she had grabbed her purse but not her bag. She let out a string of curses before pulling out her cell phone and dialing Lana.  
  
It rang twice before Lana answered it with a chipper "hello."  
  
"Lana, what in heaven's name possessed you to set me up with Mr. Me?" she yelled.  
  
"Chloe, who?"  
  
"Mr. Me is a name you give men who only know how to talk about themselves. For the last hour or so I've been hearing about the ins and outs of investment banking and how great New York is. How could you do this to me?" Chloe yelled again.  
  
"I'm sorry, I just thought that you two would have a good time. So, what are you going to do now?"  
  
"I was going to sneak out but I forgot my jacket at the table."  
  
"Where did you guys decide to sit?"  
  
"One of the back tables."  
  
"Okay, I'll get Pete to go there and tell you that there's some kind of emergency at home. How's that?"  
  
"Thanks Lana."  
  
Chloe hung up her phone and slipped it back into her purse. She made her way back to her table, finding that Nick was at the counter. She sighed in relief; thanking whatever deity she would not have to put up with him for much longer. Her relief was short-lived when Nick came back just seconds later with two cups of coffee in his hands.  
  
"I didn't want to wait for the waitress to get our drinks so I got them while you were in the bathroom," Nick said smiling.  
  
"Thank you," Chloe said politely.  
  
"So, anyway, I was in Seattle last week to visit my parents. My mother was all like, 'Why don't you have a wife yet?' and my father ignored me practically the entire time I was there. Can you believe it? Parents treating their first-born like that. I couldn't wait ." Nicholas began to talk again. Chloe tuned him out and instead began to count how many seconds it was taking Pete to get there.  
  
"Chloe? Chloe, oh my god, thank goodness I found you," Pete called out, getting her attention.  
  
"What is it, Pete?"  
  
"I hate to ruin your date but you have to get home now. Clark just brought Lee home. She's really sick and Clark doesn't know what to do," Pete lied.  
  
"Excuse me, who is Lee?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry I forgot to mention that Lee is my five-year-old daughter. She's staying with her daddy for the week," Chloe commented casually, sticking the lie in for dramatic effect.  
  
It worked. Nicholas visibly paled at the words. "You've been married? And you have a daughter?" he asked.  
  
"No and yes. You see, Clark had wanted to get married when he found out I was with child but I refused to be tied down with just one man," Chloe continued to lie.  
  
Pete, who was having a hard time keeping a straight face, quickly said, "Come on Chloe. Lee's really sick. The last time I saw her, Clark was holding back her pigtails as she wretched in the toilet."  
  
"We better hurry. Nicholas, it was nice to meet you. I'll call you," Chloe said, standing and shaking his hand.  
  
"I don't think I'll be in town for much longer so you really don't have to."  
  
"Okay, if that's what you want. Come on Pete."  
  
Chloe grabbed her purse and jacket and followed Pete outside to his parked car. When they were both safely inside and on their way home, they busted out laughing.  
  
Chloe turned to Pete and asked, "So, do you think I just found Lee's new daddy?"  
  
"Not even if you paid him a million dollars."  
  
"I think I know why he's not married yet. Poor guy's afraid of losing his bachelor status."  
  
"Nah, he's just afraid of having to hold back any girl's hair who isn't his date."  
  
The two began to laugh again and that was all that could be heard inside the car. 


	19. 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN  
  
For the next month, Chloe devoted herself to nothing but Lana and Pete's wedding. She helped Lana choose flower arrangements, bridesmaid dresses, book the church hall, and decorations. She helped pick out his tuxedo, pick up the dresses and flower arrangements, and decorate The Talon for the reception. She went to Lana's dress fitting in Metropolis and helped her pick out the shoes to go with the dress.  
  
The night before the wedding was both the bachelor and bachelorette parties. Pete and his buddies had the party at Jonathan's while the girls had theirs at The Talon. Chloe, Lana, Penny, Martha, and a couple of the female teachers at the high school who Chloe and Lana had began friendships with were all there. They spent the night talking, laughing, giving Lana baby presents and drinking coffee. The gang at Pete's party spent the night making jokes, drinking beer and helping Pete realize that he would in no way miss being a single man.  
  
At about one in the morning, both parties just about ended. The women went home and the men struggled to figure where theirs was. It was finally decided that the loft was going to be the temporary address for all of them until at least morning.  
  
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/  
  
It was ten o'clock the next morning when Lana finally awoke. She groggily turned her head and looked at the clock. Her eyes went wide and she began to panic. "Chloe! Oh my god, Chloe!" Lana screamed, throwing back the covers and running around her room like a chicken with its head chopped off. It did not last long when she came upon the note pinned to the dress bag that hung behind the door. It read:  
  
Lana~  
  
Hey, how's it feel to be getting married today? I knew that you'd probably oversleep to where you only have two hours until you have to be at the church so I took the liberty to do a few things for you. Your dress is behind this note, pancakes have been made and just need to be nuked in the microwave and shoes are by the front door. All you have to do is eat, take a shower and wash your hair, put on some old clothes and get your butt over to the church. You can get ready there. Oh, and don't for get to bring the dress.  
  
Love ya, Chloe  
  
Lana smiled, happy to have such a great best friend. She knew that Chloe had made herself crazy the last month just to have everything perfect and she felt guilty for that. Chloe had told her not to, but she just could not help it. Shaking her head, she began to follow Chloe's orders.  
  
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/  
  
"There, all done," Chloe said, just finishing tying the white ribbon around the bun in Lana's hair.  
  
"How do I look?" she asked, standing and giving a little twirl.  
  
"Beautiful," Martha complimented.  
  
She did look rather exquisite. Most of her raven hair was pulled back in a tight bun in the back of her head but the tendrils that hung down were curled perfectly into ringlets. Her eyes were outlined with black eyeliner with dark brown eye shadow that covered the rest of the eyelid. Her lips were painted a light brown and her cheek had a hint of shimmer blush.  
  
The dress she wore had thin spaghetti straps and a low scoop neckline that stopped before it showed anything. The top of the dress was tight until it reached the middle of torso and then the dress just flowed until it reached the floor. The only time you could see her feet was when she walked and then it was only the pointy tips of the white heels. The dress was made of white satin with a beaded lace overlay that ended just at her knees and had strings of beads hanging down until her ankles. Chloe came over and place a wreath made of baby's breath on top of Lana head.  
  
"Pete's going to have a heart attack when he sees you," Chloe commented as the two women embraced.  
  
Lana pulled away. "What about you? You look beautiful today, Chloe. If I wasn't the bride, you would be holding everyone's attention and not just Clark's," she said.  
  
Chloe blushed. "I don't think so," Chloe replied.  
  
"Martha, tell this girl just how beautiful she looks today," Lana ordered.  
  
"Sorry, Chloe, but I have to agree with Lana," Martha said.  
  
Chloe's long golden hair had been curled into perfect ringlets and hung just below her shoulders. Lana had insisted on Chloe wearing a wreath made of lilies and lavender ribbon to match her dress. Her hazel eyes were painted shiny lavender and her lips were tinted pink.  
  
Her lavender dress was made of satin but it was a thicker material than Lana's. The dress was backless with the exception of the pieces of material that criss-crossed from side to side. The spaghetti straps also criss-crossed. The front of the dress was square and was halfway between her neck and her chest. The bodice was tight until her waistline and then flowed down past her ankles. She wore lavender sandals that showed off her newly painted lavender toenails that matched her fingernails.  
  
"Okay, so I look better than I usually do. That's all I'm going to agree with," Chloe said, looking pointedly at Lana and then at Martha.  
  
Martha was Lana's other bridesmaid. She wore the same dress as Chloe but her makeup was more subdued and her hair was put back in a French twist. Martha glanced at the two girls who had practically grown up under her supervision and smiled. She could faintly remember when the two were total strangers and never talked. She could remember Chloe's boisterous attitude during high school and Lana's more quiet one. Now, the two had affected each other so much that both had taken on qualities of the other's personality. Martha had always thought that Lana would wind up marrying Whitney and she had always hoped Chloe would marry her son. However, Lana was marrying Pete and Chloe had almost married Jay. Both of them had children, Lana's not yet born. Martha loved all the changes since they were younger and there was still a little hope for Clark to woo Chloe.  
  
Chloe's cell phone began to ring, knocking Martha rudely out of her reverie. "Hello," Chloe answered it.  
  
"Hey, Chloe, I'm just outside the door with your daughter and Pete. We all want to know if the women are ready yet or if we have to send in a search team?" Clark's voice came through.  
  
"We're almost done. Send my long lost daughter in here will you? I have to make sure she looks human since I'm sure you weren't able to make her like one," Chloe teased.  
  
"Hey! I'll have you know she looks absolutely presentable."  
  
"I'm sure she does. Just send her in," Chloe ordered, hanging up.  
  
A few seconds later, Lee came in. She wore the same dress as Chloe and Martha except it ended at her knees and the back was the same as the front. She wore white lace tights and black Mary Janes. Her auburn hair was pulled back in a passable braid.  
  
Chloe kneeled carefully and took her daughter into her arms. "I missed you so much Lee," she breathed.  
  
"I missed you too, mommy. I had fun at Clark's and Jimmy was so cool!" Lee exclaimed, holding onto her mother.  
  
"Did Jimmy come with you?" Chloe asked when she could finally let go.  
  
"Yeah. He wants to meet you. He doesn't believe Clark knew you. Why doesn't he believe that?" Lee questioned.  
  
"Oh, no reason. Maybe I'll tell you when you're a little older," Chloe said.  
  
"Well, I hate ruining family moments but," Martha said, handing Lee a basket full of rose petals and Chloe her bouquet, "we have to get this wedding going."  
  
The women left the changing room and headed for the church auditorium. The men were already standing at the podium. The piano music for 'Ave Maria' could be heard drifting in. They exchanged hugs and Lee began to walk down the aisle, dropping a few petals every couple of steps. Martha was next and joined Lee at the front of the church. Chloe went after her, watching either her feet or the minister and refusing to glance at Clark on purpose.  
  
Finally, Lana came down the aisle. She had chosen to walk down it alone even though Jonathan had offered to take her absent aunt's place. The entire church could feel the golden heat that radiated from Pete and Lana's longing gazes. Neither could stop smiling as the minister said his speech.  
  
"Lana and Pete have chosen to recite their own vows. Lana," the minister said.  
  
"Pete, the two of us have known each other our entire lives but neither of us were ever able to become friends until Clark befriended me. Even then it was a little awkward between us. Half this town expected me to be up here with Whitney and the other half expected me to be up here with Clark but I never felt that spark with either of them. I never knew that from a first kiss with someone you could tell it was fate until I was with you. I am so happy that we met up again after graduation and started a relationship. If we hadn't, I don't think I would know what true love was. For that, I thank you. I love you so much, Pete," Lana said, tears forming at the edges of her eyes.  
  
"Clark's my best bud and has been since I met him. When he developed his crush on you, I backed off. Even though I had a tiny crush on you too. I was so happy when we became friends and I was glad that even after high school, we remained that way. When we bumped into each other during that break and we had coffee together, I just knew that you were the one. I didn't want to leave because I was afraid you would forget about me. Then I got all those letters and phone calls and I knew that it was time to make up my mind and I moved back. Lana, I love you so much and I promise that no matter what, we will always remain best friends," Pete stated.  
  
"Lana, do you promise to take Peter Ross to be your lawfully wedded husband through richer and poorer, sickness and health, to love and obey until your dying day?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"And do you, Pete, promise to take Lana Lang to be your lawfully wedded wife through richer and poorer, sickness and health, to love and obey until you dying day?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride," the minister finished.  
  
Pete leant down and just before his lips touched Lana's he whispered, "I love you."  
  
A moment later, the pair broke away and began to walk down the aisle. The rest of the wedding party followed arm-in-arm.  
  
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/  
  
At the Talon, tables had been pushed against the wall to make room for couples dancing. The only time everyone had stayed completely still was during the cutting of the cake and Clark's speech. The wedding party had already taken their pictures so they were free to do anything they wanted. Chloe sat at the counter, smiling as she watched her daughter in Clark's arms dancing. The smile disappeared when she saw a familiar bald man at the door. He motioned for her to come over and she quickly made her way through the crowd, taking him by the arm outside as to not arouse suspicion.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she hissed.  
  
"I came to see you Chloe. You look so magnificent," Lex replied.  
  
"Whatever you say. Just tell me why you're here," Chloe said.  
  
"I'm leaving, this time for good. I'm chartering a plane to Europe and I plan to live the rest of my life there," Lex informed her.  
  
"What about your vendetta against Clark?"  
  
"I want to see you happy Chloe and he makes you happy. If I were to harm him, you'd hate me and I couldn't handle that. Take care Chloe," Lex said, turning and walking away.  
  
"Wait, Lex, I'll miss you!" she yelled. She ran up and kissed him on the cheek and whispered, "Please be happy."  
  
Then, she watched as he got into his Porsche and drove away. She felt the lone tear that fell down her cheek and brushed it away with her fingertips. Sighing, she returned to the chaos inside The Talon.  
  
"Hey, Chloe, where were you?" Clark asked, coming up to her.  
  
"Just outside. I had to get some air."  
  
"You want to dance?"  
  
"Only if you promise you won't run away again."  
  
"I promise. Besides, Lana's over there with Pete and Lee and no storms are on their way," Clark replied.  
  
Chloe laughed as he led her onto the makeshift dance floor. Just their luck, a slow song came on just as they began to dance. Chloe wrapped her arms around Clark's neck and he drew her close to him.  
  
"Chloe, I'm so in love with you," Clark whispered.  
  
"You are?"  
  
"Yeah. I realized it as soon as I saw you that day at my parents' house. You were so beautiful even though you had dirt on your nose," Clark said.  
  
"I did not have dirt on my nose," Chloe said defiantly.  
  
"Yes, you did. Right on the tip."  
  
"Do you want to know what I remember most about that day? The moment you realized that I wasn't just single, but a single mother. I swear I saw your eyes bug out of your head when you found out that Lee was mine," Chloe teased.  
  
"Well, it's not everyday you find out that the girl you knew in high school is no longer a girl and has a girl of her own. I think I handled it pretty well," Clark told her defensively.  
  
"You know, Lee fell for you. I think she wonders if you're her new daddy," Chloe confessed.  
  
"I fell for her too. She's special and I would love it if I were her daddy," Clark said.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really."  
  
"Well, in that case, I think I'm in love with you too. In fact, I know I'm in love with you because I used you as an excuse to break off a date. I've never done that before," Chloe said.  
  
"You did what?"  
  
"It was a blind date and I told the guy that you were Lee's daddy. It just kind of came out," Chloe admitted.  
  
"So, what do we do now?"  
  
"I have an idea," she said as she pulled his head towards hers. As their lips met, Clark could feel what Lana had said in her wedding vow. This was fate. 


	20. Epilogue

EPILOGUE  
  
To Whom it May Concern~  
  
This letter has been a long time coming and I've just been too cowardly to write it. It's three in the morning and my husband is asleep in the bed behind me but I feel that this must be written before morning.  
  
I am forty-three years old and will be forty-four in one week's time. I do not remember any of my grandparents on either side of the family except for maybe my grandfather on my father's side. My other grandfather died when I was too young and my grandmother hasn't spoken to me since my mother and her 'difference of opinion.'  
  
There are a lot of memories from my childhood that I want to share with the world but only a few are important enough in detail. The first is Peter Jr. being born. I was six and I was shopping with mommy and Auntie Lana. We were getting some new baby clothes when Auntie Lana collapsed in the middle of the store. An ambulance was called and I got to ride along with them as they hurried to the hospital. Peter Jr. was born just four hours later. Growing up, the two of us were cousins and best friends. All the major events in our lives was attended by the other, including his wedding to Claire--his high school sweetheart--and my wedding to Thomas--the guy I met in college.  
  
I remember Clark and my mother's relationship. They got together at Auntie Lana and Uncle Pete's wedding and stayed together for a month while he was in Smallville. They broke up when he had to move back to Metropolis, claiming that it was a distance thing. Then, when I was seven, my mother woke me up at two in the morning and announced that we were spending all day packing and moving to Metropolis. It was hilarious seeing Clark's jaw drop and his eyes widen twice their size when he saw us walk into the Daily Planet offices. He didn't say a thing, just took my mother and me into his arms and refused to let go. They were married four months later. At the wedding, I was the flower girl and I wasn't able to keep my attention on Clark and my mother for long. My eyes drifted and I saw a bald man hanging by the door. It was curious because I had never seen him before in my life. When he saw me staring at him, he gave me a wink. I quickly turned my head back to the ceremony. When I looked back, the man nodded at me and slipped away just as the last words of the ceremony were spoken. I never did find out who that man was nor did I ever tell anyone that I saw him. But now thinking back on it, I wish I would have known what the connection between him and my mother were.  
  
Of all the things I remember the most, the one thing that sticks out in my mind was when I told my mother about Thomas. I complained for days on end how pathetic and annoying he was. Mommy just giggled and said, "You're more my daughter than I ever thought." When I asked her to elaborate, she explained about my father and how much he was like Thomas.  
  
I have two kids too. A son and a daughter. Ryan, my son, is twenty-two and has fallen in love with a girl in his biology class. He annoys her like his father did me. I know that the two of them will be married by the end of next year. That is, if he's anything like the generations before him. Jamie-Lynn, or Jay to honor my father, is nineteen and has just entered her first semester at UCLA. She's studying to be a photographer/journalist. Jay takes after my mother and me so much that it's scary. And I've heard rumors that there's a guy in her photography class that keeps leaving flowers for her. My mother started it all.  
  
Well, it's late and I must retire to bed. And if anyone is wondering, I took after my parents and I am the editor of the Daily Planet.  
  
Best Wishes, Leona Rachelle Sullivan-Kent Davis 


End file.
